The pandemic changed how people travel globally, which also affected the economic environment in the Philippines.

The vacation rental company, commonly known as Airbnb, helped not only the guests in making their stay longer and discovering new places but also created a generating income for the hosts, which then boosts local tourism’s income.

In a press release, Airbnb revealed the results of the latest survey of hosts and guests. One of which is how hosting on Airbnb helped the hosts mitigate and navigate higher prices due to inflation and other economic challenges.

Nearly 2 out of 5 hosts surveyed said that the money they earned in hosting helped them make ends meet and helped them cover the rising cost of living. Maintaining and improving home needs and buying necessities are also one of the reasons why they host.

They also indicated that they expect that income earned through hosting will become more important, with approximately 30% saying they expect to become more reliant on host income in the next year.

For local communities, the booking revenues from guests and local spending contribute to the country’s tourism income. Hosts that were surveyed liked to share recommendations with guests about restaurants and cafes, outdoor sites and activities, lesser-known areas, and places to visit such as shops and boutiques.

In fact, three-fourths of hosts recommended places to visit in and around their Airbnb neighborhood for guests. Almost half of the surveyed hosts also hire support staff such as professional cleaners to maintain the house.

In a trend that began last year and has continued into Q1 2022, guests are staying longer—essentially living in Airbnbs. This caused them to discover new destinations.

In the Philippines, over 60 cities and towns got their first-ever Airbnb bookings, which included lesser-known and off-the-beaten-path destinations such as Bulacan, Oriental Mindoro, Misamis Oriental and Davao.

Interested in becoming a host or how much they earn through hosting? You could check it out at airbnb.com/host. And to learn more about Airbnb, you could visit airbnb.com or download the app.