Airbnb names South Bend as a top 10 winter-trending destination

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- South Bend is gaining major recognition this winter, landing a spot on Airbnb's 2024 Winter Trends report as a top travel destination.

"It's a huge win for us to have that sort of recognition from Airbnb is a short-term rental. Any given night in Saint Joseph County, there's on average 1,000 of our neighbors that have their homes available on either Airbnb or Vrbo. That market and opportunity for folks who are coming to our community would rather stay in a private residence compared to staying at a hotel is just tremendous," Visit South Bend Mishawka Executive Director Jeff Jarnecke said.

This includes promoting more winter activities and building partnerships with local businesses to make sure visitors find the city affordable.

Jarnecke believes the city’s growing reputation will continue to bring in visitors looking for both fun and quality experience.

"To see that we are trending, to see that we are in the top ten for winter activities is really just a testament to the number of great attractions, amenities and activities that we have in Saint Joseph County and in just the summer months, it's all twelve months," Jarnecke said.

The 2023 annual report from Visit South Bend Mishawaka that states it saw 5.3 million people visiting the city with $1.2 billion in spending in the St. Joseph County area.

According to the report, new attractions have added to the appeal, including the Four Winds Casino Hotel and Spa, the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at Notre Dame and the groundbreaking of the Mishawaka Fieldhouse.

There are more than 1,200 private residences hosting visitors. Last year, these rentals provided 245,000 room nights, marking a 10% increase from the previous year.

The average daily rate for short-term rentals has risen to $481, 11 percent increase from the previous year.

Visit South Bend Mishawaka Executive Director Jeff Jarnecke says this is because of the growing popularity in St. Joseph County as a top destination, not just for events, but for longer stays.

"To the extent that we can continue to add those our inventory and to our offering in St. Joseph County will further differentiate us because of the idea that we have to go and hibernate in the winter months isn't just what it is. There's a huge market, a huge opportunity for that destination that getaway for that one trip along the way and we're a feature of that as evidence in the Airbnb report," Jarnecke said.