REGINA — Airbnb is reporting a rise in domestic bookings across Canada, with Regina helping drive the growth.
Per a report, Airbnb labelled Regina and seven other areas as drivers of a domestic travel boom.
“I think one of the reasons we're seeing places like Regina pop up as trending destinations is because people are looking to explore their own backyards more instead of going to a Toronto destination or Montreal,” said Matt McNama, senior communication manager for Airbnb in Canada.
McNama noted many domestic travellers get around by driving, so Regina could be a stopping point to check out key parts of the city.
“Regina [does] offer a huge art scene, I [also] think the Roughriders are a great example of people travelling to go see a game, and the Prairie charm and Indigenous heritage is a big draw right now.”
He also said this surge may be due to Canadians becoming more patriotic and choosing to vacation within the country instead of travelling to the U.S. during the ongoing trade war.
With the increase in bookings, McNama pointed to the economic benefits for Regina.
"We find that about 50 per cent of guests on Airbnb spend 50 per cent of their dollars in that specific community. And so that means it's going to go towards the retailers and the coffee shops.”
Along with Regina, Canmore, Alta., Blue Mountain, Ont., Ucluelet, B.C., Gatineau, Que., Langley, B.C., Whistler, B.C., and West Kelowna, B.C., were identified as contributors to the domestic travel boom.
Airbnb compared data from the first six months of 2025 with the first half of 2024 for the report.
The company said 12 of 13 provinces and territories saw an increase in bookings, including Saskatchewan.
“Saskatchewan is up nearly 20 per cent with domestic bookings compared to the year before.”
McNama added Saskatoon also saw an uptick in bookings, though he could not speak to other parts of the province. He noted Airbnb often operates in areas without hotels.
The company said nine million Canadians used Airbnb in 2024, and it is on track to exceed that number in 2025.
