80% of Puerto Ricans looking for ‘staycations,’ Airbnb says
An analysis of the Airbnb travel platform showed that 80% of the searches that Puerto Rico residents carried out in August and September were to travel within the island.
The trips will be domestic with the possibility of working from the accommodation and with a family profile, the travel platform said.
Locations are chosen based on attributes, such as proximity and accessibility, flexibility in booking, privacy, the characteristics of the space, such as swimming pool, garden, and sanitation and cleanliness standards, the travel company confirmed.
Currently, local travelers represent 80% of searches and foreigners 20%. This trend suggests that the recovery of tourism in Puerto Rico on the Airbnb platform is being led by domestic tourism.
“We’re pleased to know that Puerto Ricans are looking into la ‘Isla del Encanto’ for their next trip. Tourism is the main engine of Puerto Rico’s economy and thousands of hosts and their communities depend on this income to make ends meet,” said Carlos Muñoz, Airbnb’s public policy manager for Central America and the Caribbean.
The data shows that people want to travel as a couple or with their closest family since more than 73% of the searches carried out are for stays of four or fewer guests. This trend shows that users want entire accommodations where they can interact and have greater privacy and exclusivity with their relatives.
In the first two weeks of September, there have been more than twice as many searches for trips with children as during the same period in 2019, Muñoz said.
“Travelers are looking for destinations close to their homes to visit and spaces they can drive to with their family to reconnect,” said Muñoz.
“Airbnb is an excellent option for those who want to get away from the cities and enjoy a trip. For its part, the great variety of little-explored destinations in contact with nature that can be found in Puerto Rico are undoubtedly an attraction for those who want to travel without exposing themselves to large crowds,” he said.
To help keep guests healthy, Airbnb launched a cleaning protocol in the region a few months ago, which calls for hosts to follow a list of cleaning and sanitizing actions.
“This protocol builds on the platform’s strong cleanliness record: 94% of all reviews show that guests have been satisfied with the cleanliness of the spaces they stayed in, giving them 4- or 5-star ratings after their stays. By following this protocol, hosts take an important step in protecting themselves, their guests, and the communities where they live,” Airbnb said.
