Published
Why Australians book short-term rentals when life gets hard
Work, repairs, bushfires, moving house and family violence: Griffith University research shows how many short-term stays have nothing to do with a holiday, and why a home works better than a hotel room in a crisis.
Why do Australians book short-term rentals if they are not on holiday?
Mostly because something has happened at home. Griffith University research released in October 2026 found that, of non-leisure short-term rental bookings, 21.9% were for work, 17.8% for property issues or renovations, 16.3% to escape bushfires and other natural hazards, 15.4% for moving between homes, 15.2% to escape domestic or family violence and 5.3% for health and care.
Not every booking is a holiday
When people think about short-term rentals, they picture a weekend away. New research from Griffith University tells a different story.
The study, commissioned by Airbnb and released in October 2026, looked at why Australians book short-term stays for reasons other than leisure. It drew on 68 interviews and two national surveys covering 2,223 non-leisure guests and 420 hosts.
Why Australians book short-term rentals for non-leisure reasons
Put simply, many guests are not on holiday. They are between homes, recovering from a disaster, or looking for safety.
| Reason | Share of non-leisure bookings |
|---|---|
| Work-related travel | 21.9% |
| Property issues or renovations | 17.8% |
| Escaping bushfires and other natural hazards | 16.3% |
| Moving between homes | 15.4% |
| Escaping domestic or family violence | 15.2% |
| Health and care | 5.3% |
Why a home works better than a hotel room in a crisis
Our founder, Leo Wei, spoke to AAP for the story. He has been involved in anti-domestic violence work since 2017, and MetaWise BnB homes have hosted people going through a family crisis.
“Short-term rentals have huge potential to be a place of safety and comfort compared with a hotel or shelter,” Leo told AAP. “We are more home-like.”
What that looks like in practice
Recently, MetaWise BnB hosted a mother and her baby who needed safe accommodation at short notice. Beyond the booking, our team made sure they were settled, picked up everyday essentials and baby formula, and checked in during the stay. At check-out, she told us the calm and privacy made a real difference while she worked out her next step.
That is the gap short-term homes can fill: not just a roof, but somewhere people can start to feel normal again.
A home offers what a hotel room or shelter often cannot. Privacy: a private entrance and a door that locks, not a shared corridor. Normal life: a kitchen to cook in, a laundry and space for children. Speed: furnished homes are ready to move into, often at short notice. Flexibility: stays can run for days or weeks while people work out their next step.
What this means for property owners
If you own a short-stay home, your property may already be doing more good than you realise. Families displaced by fire or flood, people waiting on an insurance repair, and people leaving unsafe homes all need somewhere to stay that feels like a home.
Working with support services and insurers
MetaWise BnB is open to working with support services, charities, councils and insurers who need safe, furnished accommodation quickly. If that is you, contact us directly: our phone and email are on the contact page, and the furnished apartments page shows where our homes are.
Common questions
- Who commissioned the Griffith University research?
- Airbnb commissioned the study; Griffith University carried it out independently. It drew on 68 interviews and two national surveys of 2,223 non-leisure guests and 420 hosts.
- Can an insurer or support service book a furnished home directly?
- Yes. MetaWise BnB takes bookings directly from insurers, claims teams and support services, invoiced to the organisation, and deals with them discreetly.