Airbnb: Wanderlust back on tourism recovery

Outbound travel this summer among Chinese tourists looks promising with an appetite for exploration, a diverse range of destinations being considered and a desire for more immersive travel experiences, said US-based lodging and short-term vacation rental provider Airbnb.

Airbnb has seen a continued and steady recovery across the entire Asia-Pacific region, with a 48 percent increase year-on-year in nights and experiences booked in the first quarter, compared with the same period last year.

China has played a significant role in driving this growth, said Nathan Blecharczyk, Airbnb's co-founder and chief strategy officer, and chairman of Airbnb China, adding that "China's outbound travel has been and we believe will continue to be a cornerstone of growth in the Asia-Pacific region."

China's outbound tourism sector has shown signs of a strong recovery since the beginning of the year. Blecharczyk said he is bullish on the prospects of outbound tourism in the Chinese market.

Data from Airbnb showed that the number of Chinese users searching for early summer outbound stays between July 1 and July 15 surged nearly sixfold compared with a year prior.

"Chinese travelers are venturing further and exploring many diverse destinations. Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand and Indonesia, remain dominant destinations," he said, adding there is a significant increase in interest in the mid-to-long haul destinations.

Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, New Zealand and Australia are favored by Chinese travelers this summer, the senior executive said. In addition, Chinese tourists increasingly consider destinations such as Malaysia and the Philippines in Southeast Asia.

Chinese travelers are seeking more in-depth and immersive experiences as approximately half of the summer searches are for medium to long-term stays, spanning seven days or longer. On average, a Chinese traveler has searched to stay in more than one country during this summer, which shows people's desire to explore multiple locations during their travels, Airbnb said.

It is noteworthy that Generation Z travelers — those born between the mid-1990s and the early 2010s — prioritize affordable yet authentic travel experiences. Approximately half of the room searchers are between the ages of 18 to 29 in China.

Moreover, the number of families traveling with kids has grown nearly four times compared to spring this year. "Some of our most popular family-preferred categories on Airbnb are amazing pools, beaches and beachfronts, national parks as well as lakes," Blecharczyk said.

The World Tourism Organization expects international arrivals will likely reach 80 percent to 95 percent of the pre-COVID levels in 2023, compared with 63 percent in 2022, despite lingering global headwinds.

Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, said China's outbound trip segment is expected to see a robust recovery this year, and inject strong impetus into the prosperity of the country's tourism sector.

fanfeifei@chinadaily.com.cn