SHANGHAI, Sept 1 ― Airbnb's aggressive push into the Chinese market seems to be paying off, as the short-term vacation rental site reported record growth in the country over the summer.

Earlier this year, Airbnb launched a new brand name, Aibiying for their Chinese consumers and doubled their investment into the market.

Compared to last summer, the top three highest-growth destinations included three Chinese cities: Hangzhou, which posted a whopping 495 per cent growth compared to the summer of 2016; Chongqing, which grew 388 per cent; and Wuhan, which followed close behind at 371 per cent.

Outside China, the most popular destinations this summer were oceanside enclaves, be it Brazil or New Zealand. 

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Analysts also noted that of the 45 million guests who used Airbnb this summer, 8 million were families.

Families from the US, France, Italy and Spain were most likely to book a stay with Airbnb.

Some of the most popular family destinations this summer included Branson, Missouri; Gulf Shores, Alabama; Nago, Japan; and Poitiers, France.

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Meanwhile, the most popular summertime activities, offered by their Experiences portal, included hiking, riding, sailing and dancing.

Airbnb guests paid an average of US$50 per night for a lodging in the US, and the busiest night of the summer was August 12, when 2.6 million guests stayed at an Airbnb rental.

Data is based on bookings from June 1 to August 31. ― AFP-Relaxnews