Digital platforms like Airbnb are reshaping the way cities function—especially when it comes to housing, tourism, and local economies.

But their impact isn’t the same everywhere.

Between 2019 and 2023, senior lecturer Dr Elham Bahmanteymouri investigated Airbnb’s effects across seven cities, including Auckland, Wellington, Queenstown, and Christchurch.

Dr Bahmanteymouri teaches architecture and planning at the Auckland University School of Engineering and Design.

Here’s what her research found:

• In Auckland, Airbnb is strongest in high-value neighbourhoods. It supports local businesses and gives property owners a useful side income. But it hasn’t had a major influence on house prices or community change.
• Wellington sees more negative effects. Listings cluster in business zones, not suburbs, but concerns remain around fair taxation and hotel industry impact.
• Queenstown shows the biggest shift. Locals have turned second homes into Airbnb rentals, fuelling a long-term rental shortage. Even during the Covid-19 slowdown, housing was tight.
• Christchurch has used Airbnb to help revive areas affected by the quakes. Short-term rentals have supported urban renewal and put idle properties to use—but again, fewer long-term rentals are the trade-off.

Each city’s story is different.

Regulations matter, as does how Airbnb is woven into existing planning.

One key insight? Airbnb brings what Dr Bahmanteymouri calls “conceived” (measurable) and “lived” (day-to-day) effects.

The financial upside is real—Deloitte pegged Auckland’s Airbnb economic impact at $200m in 2018—but so is the experience of neighbours seeing communities shift around them.

So what does it mean for Coasties?

For many Kiwi cities, Airbnb is more opportunity than threat.

But it’s clear that good regulation and local insight are crucial.

Done well, short-term rentals can support tourism, bring in income, and help cities bounce back after tough times—without pushing out long-term renters or changing the character of our neighbourhoods.

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