AIRBNB, a home-sharing service, said that the Philippines has become a top prospective destination for Chinese travelers, based on accommodation booking searches.
“Since the reopening of cross-border travel in China, Chinese travelers are increasingly expressing interest to visit a wider variety of destinations,” Airbnb said in a statement.
“The Philippines has recorded more than 10 times the increase in guest searches among Chinese travelers on Airbnb year on year,” it added.
The company was citing an analysis of internal data for 2022.
The Department of Tourism recorded 39,627 Chinese visitors last year, representing 1.49% of all arrivals in 2022. At that volume of travelers, China was a top 10 market for the Philippines.
Airbnb said that domestic travel by Filipinos as measured in bookings data is currently double the 2020 level.
“Domestic tourism has proved to be resilient in times of crisis and an option of a more immediate and positive economic impact to local economies. A weekend trip to a destination near home is not only easier to plan, but also much more affordable,” according to Amanpreet Bajaj, general manager for Southeast Asia at Airbnb.
Mr. Bajaj said a diverse array of travel destinations is cheaper for travelers and supports more local economies than a concentration of visitors in the most popular destinations.
“Airbnb is helping disperse guests, income and tourism benefits beyond the usual hotspots to new and trending destinations. We see the challenges posed by mass tourism around the world, and are investing in solutions to help, while helping guests discover new communities and generating new income streams for locals,” he added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile