Escaping from domestic violence or natural disasters are among the many reasons Australians book short-term accommodation.
In cases of family violence in particular, accommodation that accepts pets and can offer more home-like amenities and privacy can be a far preferable option to a hotel.
A study released on Wednesday by Griffith University uncovered the many non-leisure reasons Australians book short-term accommodation.
It comes amid ongoing efforts to regulate the industry and balance the need for longer-term rental and housing options.
The independent study, which was commissioned by Airbnb, sought to flesh out previous figures suggesting non-leisure travel accounted for around 30 to 40 per cent of all bookings.
Work-related travel was the largest individual category, accounting for 21.9 per cent of non-leisure bookings, the study found, followed by property issues or renovations at 17.8 per cent, escaping natural hazards like bushfires at 16.3 per cent and moving between homes at 15.4 per cent.
Escaping domestic or family violence accounted for 15.2 per cent on non-leisure bookings, while health and care was 5.3 per cent.
Short-term rental host Leo Wei has received multiple bookings at his Sydney property from those in family crisis.
Mr Wei told AAP he felt there was huge potential for short-term rentals to be a place of safety and comfort, compared to a hotel or shelter.
"We are more home-like," he said.
Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms have faced intense scrutiny and in some areas caps on the number of nights properties that can be rented out, such as 180 days in parts of NSW including Greater Sydney.
A 2025 study found the industry was becoming increasingly "professionalised" and contributed to rising housing costs in areas with a higher density of short-term rentals.
The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute study found an increasing number of listings for entire homes stripped thousands of potential long-term rentals from the market.
However, lead author of the Griffith study Basak Denizci Guillet said non-leisure uses should be taken into account when assessing policy and regulation for short-term rentals.
"But what we said was because the use was so extensive for so many different purposes, especially for people in need, regulatory bodies should acknowledge non-leisure use as well," Professor Guillet told AAP.
The study drew on 68 interviews and two national surveys involving 2223 non-leisure short-term rental guests and 420 hosts.