COVID-19 is pushing Americans to rediscover small towns: Airbnb

Although the coronavirus halted Americans’ plans of a globe-trotting summer, that hasn’t stopped them from discovering travel gems right outside their front door. According to an Airbnb survey released on Monday, 50 percent of 2,200 respondents’ first post-lockdown trip is within 200 miles of their home.

From February to May, bookings to nearby locales increased from 33 percent to 50 percent, with smaller cities making Airbnb’s top 10 summer destinations list. Famous beach towns, natural parks, and little-known cities dominated this list, reflecting Americans’ thirst for open, uncrowded spaces after months in lockdown.

Big Bear Lake, California; Miramar Beach, Florida; Panama City Beach, Florida; the Smoky Mountains, and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, were the top five locales, with 55 percent of travelers shelling out the extra cash to spend their vacations at a ‘superhost’ listing.

Destin, Florida; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Branson, Missouri; Palm Springs Desert, California; and Port Aransas, Texas rounded out the top 10.

In response to the survey and booking data, Airbnb launched on Monday “Go Near,” a marketing campaign aimed at highlighting local travel treasures for Airbnb users.