Airbnb has released its summer travel highlights and the takeaways, and trends are fascinating. As both travelers and hospitality operators continue to adapt and evolve within an ongoing pandemic landscape, changes in habits, searches, and preferences provide plenty of insights that paint a very colorful picture.
Read on for some of the most standout conclusions from the report.
The New World of Travel in 2022: Trends & Takeaways
The world has changed, and in 2022 people are traveling differently than they ever have before. Because of remote work, people are spreading out to thousands of towns and cities. For example, travelers that plan with Airbnb have already confirmed stays in over 72,000 cities and towns for the summer season.
Long-term stays are at an all-time high in Q1 2022, more than doubling in size from Q1 2019. In fact, they continue to represent around 1 in every 5 nights booked. What’s more, nearly half of nights booked on Airbnb in Q1 2022 were for one week or more.
In today’s context, travelers are demonstrating increased flexibility about where and when they can travel. In fact, the platform’s “I’m Flexible” search feature has been used over 2 billion times. Travelers using Airbnb are keen to book homes in less popular spots, not just the usual – or most popular – destinations.
Trending International Summer Destinations
By search by US guests in Q1 (min 10,000 searches)
- Venice, Italy
- Nassau, The Bahamas
- Capri, Italy
- Puerto Escondido, Mexico
- Tamarindo, Costa Rica
- Quepos, Costa Rica
- Florence, Italy
- Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- La Paz, Mexico
- Mérida, Mexico
More Summer 2022 Travel Takeaways & Insights
Domestic travel is strong and represents more than half of the nights booked in the first quarter of 2022 for summer stays. Incredibly, international travel has recovered to pre-pandemic levels and continues to grow, with more nights booked for international summer stays compared to the same period in 2021.
Although guests continue to seek coastal or beach listings for their summer travel (half of nights are booked at listings within 3 miles of the coast), nights booked at more inland properties located over 62 miles from the coast have seen strong growth compared to the same period in 2019. Similarly, nights booked at listings with the smallest population density have grown the most over the same time period. Travelers are looking for wide open spaces, relaxing and beautiful landscapes, and thinking outside the box when it comes to their chosen destination.
Unique travel experiences have increasing appeal to guests. Nights booked in the first quarter of 2022 for summer travel to unique homes are growing 80% compared to 2019. What is a “unique home”? For example: tiny houses, barns, domes, and treehouses have seen particularly strong growth of interest. The countries expected to have the most treehouse stays this summer? The United States, France, Canada, United Kingdom, and Costa Rica.
Family travel is at an all-time high. Older adults (ages 60-90) are the fastest growing age group for nights booked in Q1 for summer travel compared with the same period in 2019.
