Short-term rentals and the 2027 America's Cup in Naples: how much do vacation rentals earn during the event? Data from Auckland and Barcelona
Short-term rentals for the 2027 America's Cup in Naples: July 10, 2027 The Gulf of Naples will host the Louis Vuitton America's Cup final.: the oldest and most followed sailing competition in the world, the third sporting event in terms of economic impact on the host territory after the Olympics and the football World Cup.
For the first time in history, the regatta is held in Italy.
For owners of apartments in Naples, and in particular in the areas overlooking the seafront between Posillipo, Chiaia, Mergellina, Bagnoli and the historic centerThis isn't just a sports news story. It's a concrete, measurable, and, with the right management, very significant economic opportunity.
In this article, we analyze what has happened to short-term rentals in cities that have hosted the America's Cup in previous editions, what the projections are for Naples, and what landlords must do today to ensure they are prepared for 2027.
- 1,5 mln: Expected visitors (Minister of Tourism estimate)
- €1,2 billionEconomic impact (Ministry of Tourism + Luiss University)
- + 30 %New holiday homes in Bagnoli 2025
The event: What is the America's Cup and why is it changing everything for Naples?
The Louis Vuitton America's Cup is therethe oldest international sporting competition in the world: the first edition dates back to 1851. It is not just any regatta: it is a global media event with a television audience that in the last edition in Barcelona reached 954 million viewers and 9,6 million hours of viewing on YouTube, the highest ever.
38th Louis Vuitton America's Cup in Naples in 2027 will see the participation of five main teams confirmed: the holder Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Challenger of Record GB1 (GBR), Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA), Tudor Team Alinghi (SUI) e K-Challenge (FRA).
The competition format in Naples is divided into two distinct phases, which create two separate waves of tourist demand:
- Pre-regattas (Preliminary Race Weeks)
Probably July 2026, in the waters of BagnoliTechnicians, crews, team staff, and top-level enthusiasts begin to flock there months in advance.
- Official Final (Match)
Starting from July 10, 2027, in the waters between Posillipo e Castel dell'Ovo, overlooking the VesuvioThe duration of the Match can extend for weeks.
Short-term rentals for the 2027 America's Cup in Naples: which neighborhoods are best suited?
The regattas will take place in the waters of the Gulf visible from the west coast of Naples.
- Areas with a direct view of the race course: Posillipo, Mergellina, Chiaia, Riviera di Chiaia, Lungomare Caracciolo, Bagnoli.
- Central areas with high demand: Historic Center, Spaccanapoli, Spanish Quarters, Vomero.
- Bagnoli: basis for the 2026 pre-regattas. Already +30% new holiday home openings in 2025 (Confesercenti).
- High profile international tour operators are already looking apartments overlooking the race course for Weekly and monthly rentals in Naples.
What happened to short-term rentals in previous editions: the real data
Before we talk about Short-term rentals for the 2027 America's Cup in NaplesIt's helpful to look at precedents. The America's Cup has a documented history of impacting the short-term rental market in host cities.
Barcelona 2024: The 37th edition, 59 days of racing, 1,8 million visitors
The 2024 America's Cup took place in Barcelona between August 22 and October 19, 2024: 59 days of competition. Barcelona is the most direct benchmark for Naples, as it is a Mediterranean city with comparable tourism characteristics.
- Total visitors during the event: 1,8 million
- Tourists who came especially for the event: 460.819
- Competition duration: 59 days
- Certified total economic impact: € 1,034 billion
- Jobs created: 12.872
- Global TV Audience: 954 million
- Increased audience compared to the previous edition: + 37 %
- Average annual ADR for short-term rentals in Barcelona 2024-2025: €168/night
- Average annual occupancy for short-term rentals in Barcelona: 84%
- Average annual Airbnb host revenue in Barcelona 2024-2025: €48.000
Source: University of Barcelona Study + Barcelona Capital Nautica Foundation (FBCN), March 2025; Airbtics 2025.
The key data for the owners is not only the total number of visitors, but the type of America's Cup audience: high-spending tourists, medium-long stays.
Auckland 2021: The 36th edition, occupancy at an all-time high, Airbnb structural
- Expected international visitors (pre-pandemic): 26.000
- Expected domestic visitors: 175.000
- Hotel occupancy during the event: All-time highs in 2021 (STR data)
- Estimated economic impact: NZ$0,6/1 billion
- Role of short-term rentals: Structural (insufficient hotels, CBRE: demand > supply)
- Price trends: significant spike in rates confirmed
- Post-event demand: Tourism continued to grow after the 2003 and 2021 America's Cups
Source: CBRE NZ, STR Global, Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment NZ, Zodiak Property Management, 2020-2021.
Short-term rentals were the only scalable response to residual demand, and were priced accordingly.
The repeating pattern: what all previous editions have in common
- Tourist demand always exceeds hotel supply during the race weeks, filled by short-term rentals.
- The peak demand is not limited to the period of the final regattas, but includes pre-races and early arrivals.
- High-spending guest profile: average daily spending 30-50% higher than the average leisure tourist.
- Positive effect on tourism lasting 12-24 months post-event.
- Who arrives unprepared (without optimized listing, dynamic pricing, multi-OTA) captures only a fraction of the potential.
Naples 2027: What the official data says and what's already happening
- € 690 million: short-term impact (Ministry of Tourism + Luiss Business School)
- €1,2 billion: impact on related industries, including reputational effects
- 1,5-1,7 million: expected visitors (Min. Tourism estimate)
- € 370 million: direct tourist expenditure (accommodation, catering, transport)
- 11.000: long-term jobs, of which 1.000-2.000 are permanent
- + 5-10%: visitor flow +2 years (post-event reputational effect)
Signals already underway in the Neapolitan market (2025-2026 data)
- +30% requests for new vacation rental openings in Bagnoli in 2025 (Confesercenti / Aigo).
- International tour operators They contact local operators to block apartments overlooking the race course.
- British real estate fund he bought an entire building on via Toledo to be converted for tourist use.
- Company looking for a skyscraper in Naples with a view to the America's Cup.
- 140 sq m apartment in Piazza Sannazaro renovated and divided into 4 units for rent.
- Arrival of technical crews for pre-regattas expected from July 2026.
How much can your apartment in Naples earn during the America's Cup?
Estimates based on comparative data for Auckland 2021 and Barcelona 2024:
- Studio Apartment Seafront: Normal ADR €95/night → America's Cup ADR €200-280/night, Normal Occupancy 63% → During the event 90-100%
- Two-room apartment Chiaia / Posillipo: Normal ADR €120/night → America's Cup ADR €280-400/night, Normal Occupancy 65% → During the event 90-100%
- Three-room apartment with sea view: Normal ADR €155/night → America's Cup ADR €400-600/night, Normal Occupancy 60% → During the event 95-100%
- Two-room apartment in the historic center: Normal ADR €110/night → America's Cup ADR €200-320/night, Normal Occupancy 66% → During the event 85-95%
- Two-room apartment in Bagnoli (pre-regatta): Normal ADR €80/night → America's Cup ADR €150-220/night, Normal Occupancy 58% → During the event 85-100%
The event multiplier: how much the America's Cup adds to annual revenue
- Bagnoli Pre-Regattas (July 2026, 3-4 weeks): +€3.500/€5.200
- Final match (July-August 2027, 6-8 weeks): +€9.000/€14.000
- Pre/Post Event Halo Effect (4-6 weeks): +€2.000/€4.000
Cumulative estimated extra total 2026-2027: +€14.500/€23.200
Naples's Areas with the Most Potential: A Guide by Neighborhood
Posillipo: live (gulf view) ★★★★☆
Massimo – Race view, premium question
Riviera di Chiaia / Mergellina: <500m from the coast ★★★★☆
Massimo – Seafront, high tourist density
Chiaia (interior): 1-2 km from the seafront ★★★★☆
Very high – High-end area, excellent accessibility
Bagnoli: Pre-regatta base 2026 ★★★★☆
Massimo (2026) – Staff and technicians for months, early application
Castel dell'Ovo / Santa Lucia: Direct (arrival point) ★★★★☆
Massimo – Media and VIPs, overlooking the gulf
Historic Center / Spaccanapoli: 3-5 km ★★★★☆
Very high – High global tourism demand
Vomero: 5-8 km ★★★☆☆
High – Less exposed but strong overflow demand
Fuorigrotta / Pozzuoli: Near Bagnoli ★★★★☆
Very high – Pre-regattas, technical staff, crew families
What to do today to be prepared for the 2027 America's Cup in Naples
- Get the CIN (National Identification Code): required by law for publishing on any OTA platform. Without a CIN, your listing may be blocked. Requests must be made on the Ministry of Tourism's portal.
- Complete the bureaucratic registration: SCIA or communication to the SUAP of the Municipality of Naples, registration Accomodationweb (police headquarters communication for guests), tourist tax.
- Publish the listing as soon as possibleAirbnb and Booking's algorithms reward listings with a booking history and positive reviews. Those departing today will have 18 months of booking history by the time of the America's Cup.
- Set up a dynamic pricing systemFixed rates don't capture peaks. During the America's Cup, those using dynamic pricing earn an average of 40-60% more than those with fixed prices.
- Enable multi-OTA presenceAirbnb is important, but the America's Cup audience (international, high-spending) often books on Booking.com, Expedia and VRBO.
- Consider hiring a property manager: Professional management eliminates the risk of errors at the most critical moment, maximizes revenue with algorithmic pricing, and frees you from operational burdens.
America's Cup Naples 2027: Why Timing Is Critical
- The Bagnoli pre-regattas will begin as early as summer 2026.: The question comes sooner than most owners expect.
- Technical staff of sailing teams, naval engineers, sponsors and media are looking for medium term rentals (2-6 weeks) with advance payment of 6-12 months.
- Listings without a review history are penalized by the algorithm: every month in advance counts.
- Professional management requires a 4-8 week onboarding (photographs, listings, bureaucracy): those who leave in June 2027 are arriving late.
Do you have an apartment in Naples? Find out how much it's worth during the America's Cup.
- Free evaluation
- Zero fixed costs
- Complete management
How CleanBnB is managing apartments in Naples ahead of the America's Cup
- Complete listing management on Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, VRBO: multi-OTA presence from day one.
- Dynamic pricing with a daily updated algorithm, including spike management for extraordinary events such as the America's Cup.
- Complete bureaucratic managementCIN, Alloggiatiweb, SUAP, tourist tax, flat-rate tax.
- Check-in / check-out and professional cleaning managed entirely by the local CleanBnB team.
- Insurance coverage included (damage, liability, theft).
- Zero fixed costs, zero setup costs: CleanBnB works only on commission on the revenue generated.
- Dedicated Neapolitan City Manager: a local contact who knows every neighborhood, every seasonal peak, and above all every opportunity related to the pre-regattas and the final.
Frequently Asked Questions: Short-term rentals for the 2027 America's Cup in Naples
When does the America's Cup debate really begin in Naples?
- The pre-regattas are expected at Bagnoli in the summer of 2026, more than a year before the final.
- The technicians and staff of the sailing teams will start looking for accommodation with 6-12 months in advance.
- The real question related to the tourist reservations will accelerate in spring 2026.
My apartment is in Bagnoli/Fuorigrotta: is it worth starting short-term rentals?
- Yup, Bagnoli is the venue for the 2026 pre-regattas.
- Le requests for opening new ones Vacation rentals increased by 30% in 2025 just because of the announcement.
- The technical staff will try residences for entire months.
- Demand for medium stays (2-6 weeks) in this area it will probably be higher than the available supply.
I already have an apartment on Airbnb but I manage it myself. Is it worth it to rely on CleanBnB in view of 2027?
- Autonomous management is difficult to optimize on extraordinary events.
- Correct pricing requires a dedicated algorithm which takes into account real-time demand, the type of guests (high-spending professionals) and the competition calendar.
- Who uses fixed prices or rarely update catch rates only a fraction of the potential.
Can I rent my apartment only during the America's Cup and manage it myself the rest of the year?
- Theoretically yes, but it's not optimal.
- Listings require history and reviews to be visible during peak searches.
- An apartment activated for the first time in June 2027 will have poor visibility.
- The correct strategy is start early and build a consolidated presence.
Will the America's Cup also bring permanent growth in tourism to Naples?
- Yes, according to data from previous editions.
- After America's Cup 2003 in Auckland il tourism has continued to grow for years.
- The Italian Ministry of Tourism estimates a structural increase of 5-10% in visitor flow for the next two years, with an average additional expenditure of €200-400 million per year.
Article written by the CleanBnB editorial team: updated March 2026.
Main sources: Ministry of Tourism + Luiss Business School (June 2025) | University of Barcelona + FBCN Study (March 2025) | Confesercenti/Aigo Napoli (October 2025) | Il Mattino / NNMagazine (January 2026) | CBRE NZ, STR Global (2020-2021) | Fanpage.it | Airbtics 2025.
