The Tribune

Airbnb yesterday said it has formed a strategic alliance with the Ministry of Tourism to further drive vacation rental demand that, based on booking data, is "beginning to bounce back" in COVID-19's wake.

Since the pandemic began, Airbnb said the percentage of bookings for destinations within 200 miles - a round-trip travelers can generally complete on one tank of gas - has grown from one-third in February to more than half in May. This is likely to encourage The Bahamas, which will hope to exploit its proximity to the US.

Tapping into this demand for excursions in close proximity to home, Airbnb said it has updated its app and homepage to make it easier for travelers to book local trips, including last-minute getaways. The platform updates include features highlighting domestic vacation ideas and nearby getaways.

Airbnb added that it will also launch Travel Close, a summer digital campaign to promote both nearby excursions and Airbnb's recently-launched Online Experiences. It said its US bookings are also recovering at an accelerated rate. From May 17 to June 6, there have been more nights booked for travel to Airbnb listings in the US than there were during the same period last year.

And last weekend, covering June 5-7, Airbnb said that for the first time since February it recorded year-over-year growth in gross booking value (not including cancellations or alterations) for all bookings made worldwide.