● Across
parts of Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific, Airbnb recorded an increase in
non-urban nights booked in Q2 2022 when compared with Q2 2019
● In
the Philippines, travel interest in destinations outside major cities have
increased with guest searches for Siquijor surging over 280 percent
● Tourism
dispersal is creating new economic opportunities for more people in emerging
destinations as they look for ways to combat rising costs of living
As the travel rebound continues to unfold, the benefits of tourism are
spreading across the Asia Pacific. In Southeast Asia, new analysis by Airbnb
reveals that the resurgence in domestic and inbound tourism is empowering
locals to earn a living and make ends meet.
With people continuing to embrace flexible new approaches to
travel and living, communities that have traditionally missed out in the past
are increasingly well-positioned to secure a bigger slice of the tourism pie,
according to new Airbnb report ‘Further Afield: Spreading the Benefits of the Travel Revolution’. Across the region, this has presented
fresh opportunities for locals looking to supplement their income as they
grapple with rising costs of living.
Across the Asia Pacific, Airbnb nights booked in non-urban
areas have increased in South Korea (up more than 180 percent ), India (up
about 140 percent), and Australia (up about 60 percent) in Q2 2022 as compared
to Q2 2019. In Southeast Asia, searches
for stays in Siquijor in the Philippines surged by more than 280 percent while
searches for Marang in Malaysia almost doubled.
The typical earnings for non-urban Hosts increased
correspondingly in the same period for a number of destinations. In Australia
and South Korea, typical host earnings have more than doubled as travel
returned in full force. In the
Philippines, almost half of local Airbnb hosts surveyed said their earnings have helped them navigate rising costs of living
including housing, daily necessities, and home improvement needs.
Not only are travelers eyeing destinations off the beaten path,
they’re also looking to stay longer. Notably, nights booked for long-term stays
(stays longer than 28 days) in non-urban areas approximately doubled in popular
travel and remote working hotspot Thailand in Q2 2022, up from Q2 2019
pre-pandemic.
In Southeast Asia, a number of destinations outside major
metropolitan hubs were popular among
travelers on Airbnb for long-term stays in Q2 2022. Examples included:
●
Dapa, Panglao, Dumaguete and Silang in the
Philippines
●
Ipoh,
Kuah, Semenyih, and Port Dickson in Malaysia
●
Koh
Pha Ngan, Koh Lanta and Krabi in Thailand
Mich Goh, Airbnb’s Head of
Public Policy for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan, said: “More than two years since the start of
the pandemic, we continue to see fundamental shifts in travel that are creating
new opportunities for off-the-beaten-track communities. It’s incredibly
exciting to see travelers so enthusiastic about exploring new destinations, as
well as the positive economic impact cascading to locals.
“The increasing popularity of Dapa, Panglao, Dumaguete and
Silang reinforce the importance of the Department of Tourism’s plans to drive
tourism development in the countryside and promote lesser-known
destinations. We are committed to
continuing to work together with governments and stakeholders to keep inspiring
travelers to step off the beaten path, and help ensure more communities can
share in the benefits of tourism.”
In addition to encouraging travelers to explore further afield
through innovative search tools such as Categories and I’m Flexible, Airbnb remains committed to partnering
with governments and communities in Southeast Asia, including in the
Philippines. The company has partnered with Thailand and Indonesia’s tourism
authorities on a range of ‘Live and Work Anywhere’ initiatives to attract
global digital nomads and remote workers, as part of broader efforts to drive
inbound tourism as travel returns.
Readers can view the full report here https://news.airbnb.com/further-afield/.
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