Airbnb celebrates the UN’s International Day of Older Persons. This year, the theme for  was “Stepping into the Future”, something Airbnb claims it is seeing senior people do all over APAC.

It is not just Millennials who want to see the world through the eyes of a local; the number of 60-90 year olds joining the Airbnb community is growing every year, with older guests saying they love the opportunity to travel in a different way than they have ever done before.

In the last year alone, over 1.5 million travellers aged 60 and above travelled to APAC with Airbnb, highlighting how much the older generation are embracing technology and the sharing economy to enjoy more unique and authentic experiences.

Seniors are also showing a real passion for hosting on Airbnb, opening up their homes and welcoming travellers from around the globe. APAC is no exception, with seniors making up nearly 10 percent of the region’s host community.  By hosting international travellers, it is their way of seeing the world without leaving their doorstep.

Why are seniors so popular?

In Thailand, 60-90 is the fastest-growing age bracket among Airbnb hosts, having grown by  over 40 percent year on year. They are also the second highest earners – behind 50 to 59 year olds –bringing in an average of USD 2667 in annual supplementary income. This is considerably higher than the annual income earned by 18-24 and 25-29 year old hosts, who earn an annual average of USD 1,370 to 1,659 from hosting — a big help when paying monthly bills.

Even more notable than the obvious economic benefits, is the social element of hosting on Airbnb. Many senior hosts comment on how hosting has allowed them to stay alert, sociable and happy, and how meeting so many different people of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds has given them a new perspective, allowing them to experience the world from their own home.

And senior hosts are consistently the best rated Airbnb hosts in Southeast Asia and receive better reviews than any other host demographic.  They also receive a higher percentage of five star reviews than any other age group, with a massive 81 percent of trips hosted by seniors resulting in a five-star review.

Robin Kwok, Airbnb country manager for SEA, Hong Kong and Taiwan said “The most important thing to us at Airbnb is our community, and we’re incredibly proud that senior hosts make up such a significant – and growing – proportion of that community in this region.  We know that people all over the world want a new kind of travel, and to experience new cities through the eyes of the locals who live there. Senior hosts are perfectly placed to provide these truly authentic experiences. They have seen their neighbourhoods evolve around them, and can give unique insights into the culture, history and personality of a place.”