South Africa’s township Airbnb stays a hit
Women in Langa have established guest houses or are renting out guest rooms on Airbnb through a non-profit organisation called Ikhaya Le Langa.
The aim is to transform Langa, which is regarded as South Africa’s oldest informal settlement, into a tourist attraction, stated the Rapport.
Around 240,000 guests booked accommodation in Cape Town through Airbnb in 2016, and throughout the country, Airbnb has helped bring in about R2.4 billion in revenue for hosts.
One Langa host said Airbnb breaks down barriers and helps visitors feel safer, as it lets them see with whom they will be staying.
“So long as your host looks after you, safety won’t be a problem,” she said.
“The community welcomes guests that stay here. It is really just the fear of the unknown that people must overcome.”
Airbnb cofounder Brian Chesky has also visited guest houses in the area to offer advice on how to treat guests.
Cape Town rental crisis
Not all Cape Town residents are fans of the service, however, and have blamed the popularity of Airbnb for a rental crisis in the city.
According to reports, homeowners and investors now make more money from shorter stays than from long-term tenants.
Brett Herron, mayoral committee member for transport and urban development at the City of Cape Town, said efforts are underway to address the issue and that is not a problem unique to Cape Town.
Cape Town will need to provide an additional 650,000 housing opportunities across the city, at an estimated cost of R101 billion, over the next 20 years, he said.
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