KUALA LUMPUR: Women hosts on Airbnb nationwide earned a combined RM159 million in 2018, an increase of 50% compared with 2017. Airbnb head of public policy for South-East Asia Mich Goh said the women hosts on Airbnb, who made up almost 50% of all hosts in the country, earned a typical annual income of RM5,793.94. The Malaysian female Airbnb hosts welcomed over 912,000 guests in 2018, she said at a panel discussion entitled "Powered by Women: The Growth of Malaysia Digital Tourism", here yesterday. Goh said the highest percentage of female Airbnb hosts among home hosts were in Johor Bahru at 50.96%, followed by Melaka (49.72%), Penang (49.61%), Kuala Lumpur (48.07%), and Terengganu (44.31%). However, she declined to reveal the number of Airbnb hosts in the country. She said technological advancement has opened up multiple opportunities for female hospitality entrepreneurs who were passionate about driving a creative and meaningful tourism industry.