Rental platform Airbnb has donated £1.25 million to English Heritage to support the charity’s conservation and repair of historic houses, castles, abbeys.

The donation follows the launch of Airbnb’s new ‘historical homes’ category, which includes listings for historic places to stay.

The Silicon Valley company said bookings for ‘historical homes’ on its platform have doubled since 2019. Its own data suggests that, last year, over 90 per cent of bookings were from local UK residents seeking homes in more remote rural locations.

“We are proud to be making a contribution to English Heritage that will benefit both local communities and tourists so they can enjoy England’s rich cultural history, including hidden gems in some of the less visited rural areas and countryside,” said Amanda Cupples, General Manager for Northern Europe at Airbnb.

Kate Mavor CBE, Chief Executive at English Heritage added: “English Heritage is an independent charity and support like Airbnb’s is vital to protect the great stone circles and castles, abbeys and historic houses in our care.”

The donation is part of a broader project which the company said is designed to enhance the cultural heritage promoted by the platform.

Last month, prior to the Queen’s death, a  four-bedroom property, named Garden House, on the Sandringham estate was made available via the Airbnb platform.

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