Residents cash in on Airbnb boom to make extra income

In Dubai, residents as young as 23 are turning to Airbnb as a new source of incometaking on yearlong leases, converting apartments into holiday homes, and documenting their journeys online.

- Waad Barakat

Some are buying properties specifically for short-term rentals in Dubai, while others are learning the ropes through trial and error, sharing their experiences from house-hunting and furnishing to welcoming their guests.

For Cheyne Hogan, 23, from the UK, the move was unexpected. She came to Dubai on a one-way flight with no job and no clear plan. Within months, she found herself running her own Airbnb business.

"I had no knowledge or experience, I was figuring it out as I went along," she said. What started with one two-bedroom apartment has now grown into a portfolio of nearly 10 properties, some owned and others managed for clients.

Like many in the business, Hogan quickly learned that Dubai's short-term rental market is seasonal. Winter is the peak period, especially around New Year's Eve, when tourists flock to the city and rates surge. Summer, on the other hand, often brings losses or break-even returns. "You have to accept that profits in winter make up for the slow summer," she explained.

For her, the biggest hurdle was compliance. "You need to understand the rules, work with the building security and management, deal with cleaners, and handle guest expectations. The beginning is the hardest part, but once the systems are in place, it gets easier."