The Philippines Sees Strong Rebound in Travels, Says Airbnb

After the unprecedented disruptions caused by the pandemic to the travel and tourism industry, the Philippines now emerges as one of the top destinations among travelers in the Southeast Asian region, says accommodation and experience booking platform Airbnb in a report.

According to the report, Airbnb bookings from international and domestic guests in the Philippines more than doubled in 2022 compared to 2020. A rise in domestic travel was also seen, as locals still prefer to explore destinations across the country.

“Domestic tourism has [proven] to be resilient in times of crisis and an option [for] a more immediate and positive economic impact [on] local economies,” said Amanpreet Bajaj, general manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan at Airbnb.

It was also reported that Chinese travelers are expressing an increased interest in visiting the Philippines, as Airbnb recorded a tenfold boost in guest searches for the Philippines among them year-on-year.

The booking platform likewise mentioned that since March 2020, more than 900 new towns and cities in the country have had their first booking on Airbnb.