Maryland Airbnb hosts made $25.3 million in 2016

Airbnb, a growing short-term rental website, said Monday that hosts in Maryland whose properties are booked through the platform earned about $25.3 million in income in 2016.

The firm, which earns money through a booking fee charged as a percentage of each transaction, released the information as state lawmakers debate how to regulate and tax short-term rentals.

Baltimore was the biggest market, with hosts earning $7 million off more than 46,000 guest arrivals, according to the site. Annapolis, where hosts made $2.4 million off about 15,000 guest arrivals, was the second most popular locale.

Maryland was home to about 4,200 hosts in 2016, according to Airbnb. The 151,000 guest arrivals who used the site in Maryland in 2016 grew 119 percent from the year before.