India, Aug. 30 -- India's Gen Z is changing more than the way it travels. Increasingly, young Indians are also opening their homes to travellers, with Airbnb reporting nearly 40% year-on-year growth in its Gen Z host community during the first half of 2026.

Nearly two in every five new Airbnb hosts in India during this period were aged between 18 and 29. The trend is being seen across major cities, smaller urban centres and rural destinations, suggesting that hosting is becoming an increasingly attractive way for young Indians to earn while sharing their local communities with visitors.

Shreya, a Gen Z Airbnb host from Dehradun, said; "The idea for hosting came when I moved back to Dehradun and began appreciating our home in a completel...