Tourism was one of the most affected industries during the pandemic. Flights were canceled, hotels and accommodations were on limited operations, and people were left to wonder when they’d be able to travel again. Now that restrictions are slowly being lifted, the search for possible destinations has begun. Thanks to AirBnB’s new Flexible Dates feature, planning for your future trips will be easier.
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While the option to work or study remotely has been ideal for the most part, the uncertainties caused by the pandemic make traveling tricky. “It’s no surprise COVID-19 continues to change the way we travel, and in addition to redesigning our platform last year to make nearby and longer-term stays easier to find and book, our new Flexible Dates feature aligns with a broader shift in how people will travel in the future,” as per their blog.
They add that “The traditional travel industry was built around fixed destinations with fixed dates in mind, but that model no longer meets the needs of today’s travelers.” But with the Flexible Dates feature, guests can search for accommodation based on the length of their trip. Choose from a weekend getaway, a week-long vacation, or month-long periods and see which places are available for your terms. This is update is a win-win solution since it allows guests to look at the options without committing to a date and Hosts have a better opportunity to be found by potential guests.
In their latest Travel Trends Report, the survey says a quarter of Americans wouldn’t mind traveling during off-peak seasons. And as of 2021, most guests browsing their site preferred being flexible when it comes to the date or location of their stay. The company believes this will still be the norm post-pandemic and that people will start traveling more frequently soon.
