Wagga locals are becoming hoteliers overnight, with accommodation alternative Airbnb booming in the city.

Local Airbnb accommodation has grown significantly in the last 12 months, with an increasing number of townspeople keen to rent out a room or their house to holidaymakers.

The city’s Airbnb rental explosion comes following the news that 60,000 Australian homes are now registered online with the accommodation portal –  a number that is expected to double within the next 12 months.

For married couple Michael and Chris Darley-Bentley, who became Airbnb hosts in October last year, the service wasn’t just a chance to earn more money, but share their Tatton home with interesting people.

“We're comfortable with people in our house because we’ve had boarders before,” Mr Darley-Bentley said.

"We're not doing this to make a lot of money, we do it for hospitality, because we easily connect with people who love travelling and we love hearing their stories."

Mr and Mrs Darley-Bentley have taken five bookings in their modern home, offering guests a private room and daily breakfast.

Mr Darley-Bentley said visitors typically stayed for a few nights as they passed through from Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide or Perth.

“Wagga is strategic city for travelers, so we mostly get people passing through, or else visiting family for a few days,” he said.

Despite only signing up to Airbnb four months ago, the couple intend to continue hosting holidaymakers as a result of their positive experiences.

"We love doing it, we've had no problems so far and the people who have stayed have been a delight,” Mr Darley-Bentley said.

Former Riverina Regional Tourism chairman Wayne Geale said it was this connection with people that was making the alternative method of accommodation appealing to both travelers and potential hosts.

“I think a lot of older people, singles or couples could really enjoy having people stay with them,” he said.

“And for guests, it’s a much more intimate kind of accommodation that allows them to engage with locals and the community.”

Mr Geale said the relatively easy monetary gain also made hosting guests an appealing option. 

“Hosts can just rent out a room that would otherwise go to waste,” he said.