Guesty: Booking habits “normalising” to pre-Covid times
Data released by short-term rental property management platform Guesty suggests travel is “normalizing” as pre-Covid booking habits return ahead of the Independence Day and Thanksgiving Day celebrations. of Thanksgiving of the 4th of July.
As we have indicated on previous occasions, many factors have influenced the normalization of the tourism sector, the new vaccination policies, the issuance of an internationally recognized digital certificate and flexibility policies by the hosts. The platform Short Term Rentals believes that consumers are beginning to feel more comfortable booking shorter stays and making reservations earlier than last minute, while also providing a more optimistic outlook for a return to urban cities as well.
US Recovery
In the US, the share of domestic travel, which has always remained relatively high, has increased 12% this year compared to what it was before Covid, with more than 90% of bookings in the US. made by national travelers. This made it easier for property management companies and professional hosts to target domestic travelers, as many were already targeting this audience, while the relaxation of restrictions and accelerated vaccine distribution has resulted in the country recover faster than others.
Meanwhile, the remainder of the US 2021 summer booking volume July to September is currently 270% higher compared to the same time period in 2020 volume, and 80% higher than what was seen before Covid in 2019. This is a significant sign of recovery, with no signs that bookings are slowing down and bookings look set to increase.
Overall, bookings will cost 30% more in the US compared to last year, and 28% more compared to 2019, largely due to pent-up travel demand and the widespread lifting of restrictions.
Pandemic recovery by periods
In general, shorter stays indicate a recovery, as travelers do not shelter in place for longer periods of time as they did during the height of the pandemic.
July 2021: Bookings cost 29% more than July 2020, and 29% more than July 2019. Stays this year are 14% shorter than July 2020, and the same duration than in July 2019.
August 2021: Reservations cost 30% more compared to last August, and are 26% more compared to August 2019. Stays are 19% shorter compared to last August, and the same as in 2019.
September 2021: Reservations cost 30% more compared to last September, and are 34% more compared to September 2019. Stays are seven percent shorter compared to last September, and five percent shorter compared to 2019.
According to Guesty, the most popular property types being booked in the US in the summer, June, July, and August 2021, starting with the most popular, are: House, Apartment, Condo, Cabin, Townhome, Store tent and tree house.
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