Travelers are going solo, staying longer

UNIQUE HOMESTAY Vintage Airstream on a hilltop in Calaca, Batangas. —Contributed photo

After spending two weeks vacationing in Boracay in November 2021, Owen Lombos decided he wanted to incorporate travel into his lifestyle.

He has been doing that since last year. The 28-year-old engineer even quit his previous office job to find remote work that allows him to become a digital nomad. He is now able to fulfill his tasks by the beach, knowing that a beautiful, scenic sunset will comfort him at the end of a stressful work day.

He has been traveling from one place to another, making friends along the way. His biggest adventure happened just a few months before 2022 ended. Owen embarked on a solo two-month trip in Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand from October to November.

The adventurous millennial tells the Inquirer this trip was enriching for him as he explored as many places as he could in these popular Southeast Asian destinations. He visited the temples in Balinese town Ubud, marveled at the world-class transportation system of the Lion City and delighted his palate with Thai cuisine that somehow reminded him of home.

However, this trip took a ton of research and preparation, from booking the flights, finding cheap accommodations and plotting itineraries. The budget traveler even had an Excel file summarizing his expenses to track spending.

It was all worth it, gleefully says Owen, who enjoys immersing himself in different cultures and being out in nature.

Revenge travel

BORACAY The sun sets at the famous beach of Boracay Island in Aklan, Visayas region. INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

The trend of going on a solo trip and staying longer than usual—more than the typical two-week paid vacation leave granted by employers—has emerged in the past year, according to a study by vacation home rental company Airbnb.

Solo trips in Southeast Asia grew by over 2.6 times in 2022. But group travel has also been gaining momentum as family travel saw an uptick of 60 percent last year, based on Airbnb bookings.

Last year was a period when resurgence in travel was observed after years of strict COVID-19 restrictions. This phenomenon has been described as revenge travel.

For Owen, the lifting of border restrictions is like gaining freedom for mobility anew. He has not been holding back since.

“Many travelers across Southeast Asia are staying for longer and more deeply engaging with local communities,” Airbnb notes.

The return of optimism

After months of being closed to tourists due to heightened community restrictions, Boracay Island began accepting tourists again on Sept. 8, 2021 after the province of Aklan was downgraded to general community quarantine from modified enhanced community quarantine. (Photo courtesy of Jack Jarilla)

In fact, long-term stays of more than 28 days in the region were up by over 2.5 times in the past year.

Thailand is the most visited country in the region, the Airbnb study shows. Travelers usually visit Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Phuket. Another popular destination is Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

For intra-regional trip, Singapore-Malaysia is the emerging top travel route, followed by Singapore-Thailand and Singapore-Indonesia.

“We’re incredibly excited about the travel resurgence currently taking place across Southeast Asia—a region that has always been popular for travelers the world over, with its tropical climate, delicious local cuisines, spectacular scenery and rich cultural heritage,” Airbnb cofounder and chief strategy officer Nathan Blecharczyk says.

The optimism in travel is seen to spill over to Filipinos, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by Airbnb.

Majority or 87 percent of Filipinos expect travel rebound in Southeast Asia. A third say they look forward to visit countries in the region more frequently after being confined in their homes due to the prolonged pandemic.

Almost all of the Filipino respondents note that traveling also benefits local communities and the economy. Tourism spending is boosted by the hospitality, food and beverage and retail sectors.

Tourist arrivals continue to surge in Boracay.  (Photo courtesy of Jack Jarilla)

Still, over 60 percent of the Filipino respondents raise the need to ensure that it’s “easy and affordable for travelers to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations in their country so that communities don’t miss out on tourism spending.”

With the further easing of mobility restrictions, Owen is now planning to soon spend a month in Siargao to beat the summer heat. He will be joined by other digital nomads who have become his friends.

Owen encourages the people who have means to travel, especially the young, to do it now. It has allowed him to see more of the world and learn more about himself as well.

While it is crucial to do research before going on a solo trip, he advises travelers to be spontaneous too, and just follow their gut. It may just lead them to their greatest adventure yet.