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Residents of Hull are being encouraged to rent out spare rooms during the City of Culture 2017 due to a lack of hotel rooms.
The programme of events is expected to bring in an extra million visitors to the city from across the world, according to Visit Hull and East Yorkshire, but this is more than can be accommodated by hotels in the city centre, which offer around 1,000 rooms combined.
The Homestay campaign aims to encourage residents to transform their spare spaces into overnight accommodation for visitors.
To launch the campaign, Hull 2017 and Visit Hull and East Yorkshire commissioned Yorkshire celebrity interior designer Linda Barker to create an outdoor showroom featuring locally sourced Scandinavian-style furniture to reflect Hull’s connection with Northern Europe.
Those who sign up to the challenge will be able to sign up for ‘The Big Welcome’ training, which aims to develop knowledge and enthusiasm in a bid to create ambassadors for the city.
According to Airbnb, listings on the home-letting platform in Hull have increased by 227% in the past 12 months, with the average host earning £127 a week.
Anthony Yates, visitor economy manager for Visit Hull and East Yorkshire, said: “City of Culture is expected to bring in an extra million visitors to the city from all over the world.
“Whether it’s friends and family or an interesting visitor who you’ve rented your room out to, we want each and every guest to have a fantastic experience and leave with a lasting impression that Hull is a city with a personality like no other.”
