Airbnb stays in Clark County increased by 19% last year compared to 2018, even though residential short-term rentals are illegal in much of the valley.
Guest arrivals in Clark County totaled 882,000 in 2019, according to the company, which connects people who want to rent out their homes for short-term stays with guests.
More than $138 million was collected by Airbnb hosts in Clark County last year, up from about $100 million in 2018, the company said.
The most lucrative weekend of 2019 for hosts in Clark County was May 17-19, which generated $5.7 million in income, the company said. That was the weekend of last year’s Electric Daisy Carnival music festival at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“More Nevada families are embracing the economic opportunities of home sharing, which brings an economic boost to small businesses and communities,” Laura Spanjian, a senior policy director for Airbnb’s Southwest region operations, said in a statement.
The increase comes despite the fact that residential short-term rentals are illegal in unincorporated Clark County and North Las Vegas; Henderson and Las Vegas allow them with restrictions.
Last year, Clark County officials opened 1,053 short-term rental violation cases, with most property owners voluntarily shutting down operations, according to a county official.
The county levied nearly $900,000 in fines and placed liens on 68 properties determined to be in violation of the county’s short-term rental rules, officials said.
In 2018, the Las Vegas City Council placed a number of conditions on short-term rentals, including a stipulation that hosts can only rent homes where they live and must pay an annual $500 licensing fee. They also must pay the same monthly hotel tax that resorts pay.
The city had just under 200 licensed short-term rental properties listed as “active” or “temporarily active” on its website as of Monday afternoon.
Last year, the Henderson City Council moved to allow short-term rentals in residential areas, a practice that had previously been banned. The annual fee for licensed short-term rentals in Henderson is $820, according to the city’s website.