Key Takeaways
- In 2022, travelers sought out pools, beaches and iconic cities as their top destinations.
- With destinations such as Spain, Australia and New Zealand trending for 2023, give the gift of international travel with an Airbnb gift card this holiday season.
- For those who plan to gather in-person with loved ones again, consider hosting while away to earn some extra cash.
Airbnb is wrapping up the year with a bow, revealing the stays, categories and destinations that topped the charts in 2022, sharing our annual holiday travel trends, and providing a sneak peak at what 2023 has in store for travel.
If you’re still searching for that perfect gift for a loved one or friend, consider giving the gift of travel this holiday season with an Airbnb gift card. An Airbnb gift card1 unlocks access to the platform’s vast collection of unique homes and one-of-a-kind Airbnb Experiences.
Top Categories for 2022
In 2022, travelers found themselves sitting poolside or catching rays on a sandy beach. Both of these water-related Categories came in at the top spots, with Tropical, Beachfront, Surf Spot and Lake Houses also making appearances.
Based on bookings from May 11 through September 30, these were the top 2022 travel categories for US guests2:
- Pool
- Beach
- Iconic City
- Tropical
- Countryside
- Beachfront
- Cabin
- Surf Spot
- Lake House
- Ski Destination
And just in time for holiday travel, the Airbnb 2022 Winter Release, introduced six new Categories this month, which are sure to join the ranks of most popular:
- New – Homes added to Airbnb within the past 10 weeks.
- Top of the world – Homes around 10,000 feet above sea level, often with stunning views.
- Trending – Highly-rated homes that received more listing views compared to the previous week.
- Adapted – Homes adapted for wheelchair access, with verified step-free paths into the home, bedroom and bathroom.
- Play – Homes with basketball courts, game rooms, miniature golf, water slides and more.
- Hanoks – Traditional Korean homes constructed of natural materials.
The return of international travel
In 2022, we continued to see changes in the way people live, work and travel on Airbnb. It’s clear that the newfound flexibility offered by remote and hybrid work has led to a revolution in how we travel –especially when it comes to international destinations.
The reopening of the largest inbound travel market in the world also unlocked pent-up demand from international travelers eager to reconnect with loved ones or visit their favorite stateside destinations once more.
Between November 8, 2021 and September 30, 2022, stays of 28 nights or longer have been the fastest growing trip length among foreign travelers to the US3. In addition, more than 30 percent of international guests to the US this past year have been between the ages of 30 and 40. In the year since US borders reopened to international travelers, Airbnb Hosts in more than 7,500 different destinations across the US have welcomed international guests4.
As cross-border travel has returned to the US over the past year, the most international guests have come from the following five cities5:
- London, United Kingdom
- Toronto, Canada
- Paris, France
- Seoul, South Korea
- Mexico City, Mexico
Besides the US, travelers crossed seas and continents to visit other foreign destinations which included locations ranging from Asia to Australia, and Europe to South America.
The following locations became the top trending global destinations that caught travelers’ attention, based on searches on the platform during 20226:
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Sydney, Australia
- Málaga, Spain
- Seoul, South Korea
- Melbourne, Australia
- Itapema, Brazil
- Angra dos Reis, Brazil
- Capão da Canoa, Brazil
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Brisbane, Australia
‘Tis the season for sunshine getaways
For the upcoming holiday season, travelers are continuing to escape the cold to warmer getaway destinations, still favoring pool, beach and tropical destinations. In the US, the top Categories for check-in dates between November 23 and December 31 are as follows7:
- Pool
- Beach
- Tropical
- Countryside
- Iconic city
- Ski destination
- Cabin
- Surfing
- Beachfront
- Lake house
From Terlingua, TX to Malibu, CA, here are some of the most wishlisted stays from the Top Categories of 2022 to help provide some wanderlust inspiration for your upcoming travel planning8.
This holiday season also presents a unique opportunity to take advantage of anticipated travel, and earn some additional income, and perhaps even pay for a trip to a trending destination. Earlier this month, Airbnb made it even easier to Airbnb your home through Airbnb Setup, featuring one-to-one guidance from a Superhost, the opportunity to host an experienced guest as your first guest, as well as one-tap access to specially-trained Community support agents. Together with even more AirCover for Hosts, which tripled damage protection to $3 million and expanded guest identity verification, among other top protections for both inside and outside your home, it’s a great time to become a Host and start earning.
Looking ahead to 2023
If you’re still searching for the perfect holiday gift, give the gift of travel with an Airbnb gift card. If you’re hoping to put your passport to use, consider exploring one of these top trending travel spots for 2023 international travel9.
- Málaga, Spain
- Sydney, Australia
- Melbourne, Australia
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Queenstown, New Zealand
- Florianópolis, Brazil
- Porto Seguro, Brazil
- Perth, Australia
- Salvador, Brazil
All bookings included in this press release are intended to inspire and illustrate. Airbnb does not endorse or promote these listings or any other accommodations or experiences on the platform.
Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and reflect our beliefs and opinions as of the date of this press release. We expressly disclaim any obligation to update or revise any information contained in this press release, except as required by law.
- 1Airbnb gift cards are available in the following markets: US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil (third-party digital), Canada, Finland, France Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico (third-party digital), Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, UK
- 2Top Categories of 2022 (US) nights booked by US guests in any destination with check-in dates from May 11, 2022 thru Sept. 30, 2022
- 3Based on total nights stayed by international guests to the US between November 8, 2021 and September 30, 2022, compared to November 8, 2018 through September 30, 2019
- 4Based on total nights stayed by international guests to the US between November 8, 2021 and September 30, 2022
- 5Top origin cities, by nights stayed for US travel by international guest with travel stays between November 8 2021 and September 30, 2022
- 6Searches made in Q1-Q3 2022 for 2022 check-ins vs Searches made in Q1-Q3 2021 for 2021 check-ins
- 7Top Categories of 2022 (US) nights booked by US guests from May 11, 2022 thru Sept. 30, 2022 for future check-in dates Nov. 23- Dec. 31, 2022
- 8The Most Wishlisted Listings located in the US during Jan-Sept 2022 (Q1-Q3 2022)
- 9Searches made in Q1-Q3 2022 for future 2023 check-ins vs Searches made in Q1-Q3 2021 for 2022 check-ins
About Airbnb
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 4 million Hosts who have welcomed more than 1 billion guest arrivals across over 220 countries and regions. Travel on Airbnb keeps more of the financial benefits of tourism with the people and places that make it happen. Airbnb has generated billions of dollars in earnings for Hosts, most of whom are individuals listing the homes in which they live. Among Hosts who report their gender, more than half are women, and one in five employed Hosts are either teachers or healthcare workers. Travel on Airbnb also has generated more than $4 billion in tax revenue around the world. Airbnb has helped advance more than 1,000 regulatory frameworks for short-term rentals, including in 80% of our top 200 geographies. In late 2020, to support our continued expansion and diversification, we launched the City Portal to provide governments with a one-stop shop that supports data sharing and compliance with local registration rules. We continue to invest in innovations and tools to support our ongoing work with governments around the world to advance travel that best serves communities.
About Airbnb.org
Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world. Airbnb.org operates independently and leverages Airbnb, Inc.”s technology, services, and other resources at no charge to carry out Airbnb.org”s charitable purpose. The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows Hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19. Since then, Hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 100,000 people in times of need. Airbnb.org is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb, Inc. does not charge service fees for Airbnb.org supported stays on its platform.
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