THE search for Airbnb stays in Langkawi surged by more than 13 times month-on-month (m-o-m) between September 13 to 19, following the launch of the Langkawi travel bubble on September 16.

Airbnb in a statement today said during the same period, searches for Airbnbs in Port Dickson increased by more than 360% m-o-m, while searches for stays in Malacca increased by 270% m-o-m.

It said Langkawi is the third most-searched destination on Airbnb, preceded only by Subang Jaya and Kuala Lumpur.

The end of the long lockdown has also spurred Malaysians to plan for upcoming trips with their loved ones, and many are opting for domestic getaways of more than one week to make up for being stuck at home over the past year, it added.

“Larger Airbnb homes also saw a surge in popularity, as searches for villas increased by almost 2.5 times in the week of September 13 from six months ago.”

Airbnb Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan general manager Amanpreet Bajaj said company data reveals strong and positive travel sentiment amid the relaxing of movement restrictions.

“Airbnb is committed to support the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) strategies to rejuvenate the tourism industry and help drive safe and meaningful travel, as we collectively pave the way for Malaysia’s tourism rebound in a way that benefits local communities.”

In line with the 12MP strategies to revitalise the industry and boost domestic tourism, Airbnb launched its #RaikanMalaysia campaign today, which aims to boost the tourism recovery in the second half of this year and beyond. – Bernama, October 1, 2021.