Revenge travel is happening as booking platform Airbnb saw a 400% growth in searches for stays in the Philippines. 

According to Airbnb data, Filipinos are choosing to travel within the country making the Philippines the No. 1 destination, so far. Santa Maria in Bulacan, Malay in Aklan, Baguio City in Benguet, Cebu City in Cebu, and Pasay City in Manila, are among the top searches.

International travelers, on the other hand, are searching for Manila followed by popular travel hotspots Cebu City, Malay, and El Nido.

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“The enthusiasm among Filipinos and international travelers alike to visit the country’s amazing beaches, experience the richness of Philippine culture and enjoy world-renowned Filipino hospitality, is extremely encouraging,” Amanpreet Bajaj, general manager of Airbnb for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan said in a statement. “It means more tourism dollars flowing into more communities, which in turn supports more local businesses and jobs.”

Nights booked jumped by almost 180% year-on-year in 2022 with three nights as the average length of stay.

Filipinos are now venturing to travel to other countries with the easing of restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The United States ranked as the most booked destination overseas on Airbnb followed by Canada, and Asia Pacific destinations Japan, South Korea, and Thailand. Last year, Filipinos’ most booked overseas cities were Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, London, New York, and Toronto.

Inbound travelers from the United States are the top searchers of destinations in the Philippines and followed by Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Korea.

“With the Philippines aiming to become a tourism powerhouse in Asia in the next few years, we are delighted to see the current travel rebound across the country,” said Bajaj.