ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - Airbnb hosts in the Finger Lakes region earned almost $10 million through the app in 2018.
Liz DeBold Fusco is the Northeast Press Secretary for Airbnb.
"It’s really boils down to a little extra income that so many families all over the Finger Lakes have been able to make. And use that in order to pay their mortgage, pay for their children’s education, whatever they need."
But she says Airbnb hosting is not only beneficial to individual households, she says 95% of hosts actually recommend small businesses to their guests.
She says all across the state more hosts have been opening their homes on the app to travelers
"I think in order to share your home; you really have to enjoy the idea of helping to welcome people to your community, and really sharing your community."
And she says many people also use the app for instate travel.
"You get to meet people from another corner of your state and share with them your corner of the state."
24,300 people visited the region through Airbnb.