Business View Caribbean | July 2020

7 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN JULY 2020 AIRBNB ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIPS WITH GOVERNMENTS AND T AGENCIES TO PROMOTE DOMESTIC TOURISM AND ECONOMIC GRO OPENING L INES N ASSAU, BAHAMAS . The travel industry, including Airbnb, has been significantly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. While there will continue to be great uncertainty, Airbnb booking data shows that travel is beginning to bounce back in recovering countries. To further strengthen recovery efforts, the platform is unveiling a new program to work hand-in-hand with local authorities, tourism agencies, and nonprofits to promote domestic tourism and economic growth in these destinations. Among the first strategic alliances around the world are: • Discover Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico • Bermuda Tourism Authority • Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation • National Park Foundation, United States • Visit Florida, United States • Visit Denmark • French Association of Rural Mayors • Hadong-gun, South Korea • Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, China Since the pandemic began, the percentage of Airbnb bookings for destinations within 200 miles, a round trip travelers can generally complete on one tank of gas, has grown from one-third of all bookings in February to more than half in May. Tapping into the demand for nearby excursions, Airbnb has updated their 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.