'Strong momentum among Airbnb guests' to travel within Southeast Asia

The trends were visible in new internal data from Airbnb. The number of nights booked on the Airbnb platform in the region more than doubled in 2022, compared to 2020.

While the number of bookings has not yet returned to the 2019 pre-pandemic levels, Blecharczyk believes this is an encouraging sign of the region's continued recovery.

According to Airbnb internal data, small group travel among family members and cousins is gaining traction, as many travellers see travel as a way to reconnect with their loved ones.

He pointed out that group travel in Southeast Asia had more than tripled year on year in 2022. Family travel via the platform increased by 60% in 2022 compared to the pre-pandemic period, with more families booking Airbnb stays for their value and space.

Meanwhile, solo travel is growing in popularity. Airbnb discovered that lone travellers in Southeast Asia had increased by more than 2.6 times over the previous year.

In addition, many visitors to the region are staying longer and engaging more deeply with local communities. According to Airbnb data, long-term stays of more than 28 days in the region increased by more than 2.5 times year on year in 2022.

This longer-stay trend coincides with Trip.com's 2023 travel trend report, which revealed that Chinese visitors to Southeast Asia, including Thailand, tended to stay longer and focus more on deeply engaging in local communities in order to have quality time.

Blecharczyk added that travel trends provided some hints of the direction for Airbnb to improve its service by demonstrating what travellers are looking for.

He said the company would invest in more innovation to ensure the platform's competitiveness, ease of access, and support for local entrepreneurs.

In his advice to local hotel owners, he said Airbnb internal data showed that guests were looking for accommodation that provided family-friendly amenities, made them feel welcome and pointed out hidden gems, easy access to off-the-beaten-path destinations, a diverse range of local food and culture, and accommodation options at all price points.

According to an online survey of 4,186 respondents in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand commissioned by Airbnb and conducted by YouGov from March 15-22, 80-92% of respondents were optimistic about Southeast Asia's travel rebound.

Also, 84-96% of respondents believed that Southeast Asia's tourism rebound would benefit both local communities and their country's economy.

Also, 35% said they were excited to travel within the region more frequently in the future, after not being able to do so for so long.

The entire Southeast Asia region has become one of the most popular tourist destinations, particularly during summer vacations and festivals, Blecharczyk said.

There is strong travel momentum among Airbnb guests to travel within Southeast Asia, he said.

He noted that guest searches for Songkran in Thailand had increased by more than 310% year on year, and guest searches for the March-April summer travel season in the Philippines had increased by nearly 400%.

Meanwhile, during Ramadan, guest searches increased nearly 600% in Malaysia and more than 500% in Indonesia.

"We’re incredibly excited about the travel resurgence currently taking place across Southeast Asia," he said, adding that the region had always been popular due to its tropical climate, delicious local cuisines, spectacular scenery and rich cultural heritage.

Airbnb is committed to collaborating with local governments and communities to support the region's travel renaissance in a way that allows locals to access the socioeconomic benefits of travel, he said.

Airbnb, founded in 2007, now has over 4 million hosts and has welcomed 1.4 billion guests from almost every country across the globe.