The Commercial Real Estate Alpha Site

When Augusta Becomes Airbnb’s MVP

Every April, Augusta, Georgia becomes the epicenter of a uniquely American economic surge, thanks to the Masters Tournament. Local homeowners rent out their properties for as much as $15,000 to $40,000 during the week, while hotels, restaurants, and service providers brace for one of their busiest stretches of the year. Some restaurants reportedly do 10% of their annual business during Masters week alone. Beyond lodging and dining, the tournament fuels a mini-boom for food distributors, event planners, drivers, and even private chefs, all feeding off the spike in high-end visitor demand.

The ripple effect is substantial: the Masters generates an estimated $120 million to $140 million in economic impact annually for the Augusta area. Thousands of temporary jobs are created in the leisure and hospitality sectors, and Richmond County sees a tax revenue windfall, particularly from hotel and motel taxes. While most cities would kill for this kind of year-round activity, Augusta gets it in one concentrated shot—demonstrating just how powerful a single event can be in driving regional growth. The Masters isn’t just a golf tournament; it’s a temporary economic engine, where short-term rentals become small businesses and the city itself becomes a weeklong hospitality empire.