As travel restrictions continue to ease, many international travelers are increasingly looking to visit, explore and even extend their stay in the Philippines, according to newly released data from Airbnb. More people are also eager to check out and try new places than ever before. All these are part of a travel revolution that’s creating more economic opportunities for locals.
Since the country relaxed all travel restrictions in April, there has been an incredible amount of enthusiasm among international travelers looking to travel to the Philippines. Searches by international guests for Airbnb stays in the Philippines grew by more than 140 percent year-over-year from Q1 2021 to Q1 2022,1 suggesting that the travel industry is once again spurring economic recovery for the country.
The Philippines is also uniquely positioned to take advantage of the Live Anywhere remote-work trend and the rise of the digital nomad as long-term stays2 on Airbnb emerges as a popular choice for guests. Additionally, a recent survey conducted by Airbnb among Filipino guests revealed that more than a third of local guests stayed at an Airbnb listing to travel and work remotely,3 further demonstrating how travelers have been increasingly living on Airbnb.
Airbnb data also revealed that travelers are raring to travel to destinations both familiar and lesser-known. Manila emerged as the most popular destination in the Philippines among both inbound and domestic guests,4 followed by tourist favorites Cebu and Quezon City. Notably, more than 60 cities and towns across the country have welcomed their very first Airbnb guests since the start of the pandemic,5 generating an incredible opportunity for Filipino Hosts in off-the-beaten-path destinations that have traditionally missed out on the benefits of tourism.
Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb’s general manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan, said“It is heartening to see that Airbnb guests from around the world are looking to revisit the Philippines as well as explore it for the first time, which bodes well for the sector’s ongoing recovery and for our local community of Hosts. The blurring lines between travel and living have also led to many travelers continuing to embrace their newfound flexibility. They’re jumping at the opportunity to base themselves in the picturesque destinations in the Philippines, including both popular and lesser-known parts of the country. We remain committed to working with local Hosts across the country as well as the Philippine government to help ensure Filipino communities can take advantage of this travel rebound.”
The platform upgrades and innovations that Airbnb unveiled over the past year have made it easier than ever for Filipinos to become Hosts and share in the benefits of this tourism dispersal. Additionally, new search tools such as I’m Flexible, which has been used more than 2 billion times since May 2021, as well as the new Categories and Split Stays features are also encouraging guests to explore new destinations, further spreading the benefits of tourism and putting money back into local pockets.
1 Based on internal Airbnb data on searches for Philippine stays by international guests in Q1 2022 as compared to the year prior
2 Long term stays are defined as a stay booked for a period of 28 days or more.
3 Based on a survey of 250 Airbnb home guests who booked a listing in the Philippines between June 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021, and were surveyed between February 17, 2022, and March 31, 2022.
4 Based on internal Airbnb data on searches for Philippines stays by international and domestic guests as of July 2022.
5 According to internal Airbnb data between March 2020 and March 2022.
