Call it the tough town committee.
The number crunchers at Airbnb have announced that the hottest place to book an Airbnb in the US last summer wasn’t New York, Los Angeles or Miami – but a rural nowhere in Washington where it’s hot and dry all season long.
The 8,000-person Quincy Jail adjacent to the Columbia River in the sunny mid-state was the top trending destination in America during the summer of 2024, according to data released by the short-term rental company.
Seeking to better understand the suspicious lighting, the Seattle Times reached out to Airbnb for an explanation of how the relatively remote city became so popular this summer, but representatives didn’t have much in the way of answers, citing the fact that customers aren’t T t mandated to share the reason they are traveling somewhere when making reservations.
There may be one, very big reason for the designation — Quincy’s proximity to the LiveNation-managed Gorge Amphitheater in nearby, even smaller, George, Wash.
The stunning outdoor arena, which draws visitors from across the Northwest, has recently hosted performances by everyone from Bob Dylan to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Willie Nelson.
Rachelle Baughman, director of marketing for the Grant County Tourism Commission, however, cited local data centers hiring temporary help as a possible explanation for the increase in reservation inquiries.
“They’re coming in to help make these tech startups work, and then they’re going to leave,” Baughman told the publication. “They’re seeing a lot of Airbnb rentals that way.”
Also, Baughman said Quincy offers small-town Americana, energy and amazing access to a beautiful, normally less-traveled part of the Pacific Northwest.
“Everybody came as a stranger and then they knew everybody,” she said of the recent arrivals. “So we’re known as a friendly city and people really like this city.”
As for the other places listed on Airbnb’s surprising list of summer destinations, second place went to Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, far from a tourist hotspot. Third place went to the more predictable Las Vegas.
In terms of top global locations, the UK’s coastal Brighton and Hove, a popular escape for nearby London, took gold.
The usually less touristy city of Dortmund, Germany took the bronze, while the silver medal went to Chiclana de la Frontera, Spain — perhaps for its proximity to the Costa de la Luz, a favorite summer destination among trendy Madrileños.
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Image Source : nypost.com