As the holiday season awaits and the travel rebound continues to unfold, more Filipino travelers are embracing flexible travel while more homeowners turn to hosting on Airbnb for additional income.
A new survey commissioned by Airbnb revealed that over half of Filipinos polled expressed interest in becoming Airbnb Hosts to take advantage of the new appetite for travel.
Around the world, Airbnb has seen strong growth rates of new hosts, especially in countries with high inflation rates. Notably, 77 percent of Filipinos polled said they were looking for ways to offset rising costs of living.
The survey also shows the desire for travel remains high, with over 25 percent of respondents saying that they will continue to find ways to travel even if general costs of living rise.
In a trend that started since the pandemic, millions are now enjoying their newfound freedom to live and work anywhere.
Notably, 65 percent of Filipinos polled said that they are now more flexible in terms of their type of holidays and time of travel. Of those who plan to travel within the next year, 1 in 4 Filipinos said they plan to travel without set dates.
This new approach to travel and living continues to shape the choice of accommodation among Filipino travellers.
The growing appetite for travel among Filipinos puts homeowners in a unique position to take advantage of the Airbnb Setup, the all-new easy way to Airbnb one’s home which was announced early this month.
Statistics showed that in the 3rd Quarter of 2022, Pasay ranked as the top trending domestic destination for Filipino guests on Airbnb, followed by El Nido, Cebu City, Paranaque, and Iloilo City.
Airbnb’s General Manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan Amanpreet Bajaj noted the fundamental shifts towards long-term stays and flexible travel point to the increasingly important role that short-term accommodations (STRA) like Airbnb play in the new era of travel.
“This growing appetite for travel is a positive sign as tourism recovery gathers pace. More keenly, this is an opportune moment for aspiring Filipino entrepreneurs to Airbnb their homes and earn additional income to mitigate rising living costs or support their travels,” he added.