Airbnb has published a new report claiming that it contributed almost €275m to the local economy in Dublin last year.
It adds that hosts earned €52m in 2016 as 403,500 visitors came to the city - suggesting that the average spend was almost €130.
23% of these visitors say they would not have come to Dublin if it was not for Airbnb.
The report estimates that €221m was spent in local businesses by Airbnb guests.
Dublin had 6,100 hosts listed in 2016 and the average stay was 3.2 nights.
"A typical Airbnb host in Dublin County earned €4,900 by sharing their space for 50 nights a year," the report states - and 53% of hosts said they use the income from sharing space in their home to help "make ends meet."
Aisling Hassell, Site Lead and Global Head of Customer Experience at Airbnb, said: "Airbnb allows Dublin families to boost their income by sharing vacant space in their home. Hosts provide great experiences for guests, spread visitors and benefits beyond tourist hotspots and give an economic boost to local families, businesses and communities.
The site has come in for criticism as groups have accused the casual letting phenomenon of contributing to the city's housing crisis and called for tougher legislation to be introduced to monitor home sharing.
"The Airbnb community in Dublin is passionate about home sharing and we look forward to working with local policymakers on progressive rules that support local families," Ms Hassell stated.
Mary Rose Burke, CEO, Dublin Chamber of Commerce said, "Airbnb provides much needed additional capacity in Dublin, particularly at times of high demand. This is particularly important given the large number of events now taking place in the city each year and also in light of Dublin's hopes of winning increased tourism and conference business in the future, as well as large sporting events such as the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
"The knowledge they've built up of the cultural highlights and hidden gems in their immediate area provides a unique insight into what visitors to their village and communities enjoy doing, as we map the cultural offerings in the City."
