US travelers look to the Caribbean for longer stays

Millions of people are now more flexible about where they live and work, and in response to this trend, Airbnb has launched our “live and work anywhere” campaign, which includes partnering with destinations to help them attract remote workers. The latest to join in on this initiative is the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), who has recently launched their “Work from the Caribbean” campaign in partnership with Airbnb. This landing page is aimed at promoting the Caribbean as a viable destination for digital nomads. Some of the benefits of partnerships like these for US guests is that if they decide to become digital nomads in The Caribbean is that they could get to experience new cultures while traveling and living in a different place.

This destination promotion initiative represents great news for US travelers who are looking to live and work from incredible “sun and sand” destinations. The Caribbean not only offers great music, culture and food but also amazing hospitality provided by the locals. According to Airbnb internal data, nights booked for long-term stays by US travelers in destinations throughout the Caribbean more than doubled between 2019 and 2021¹. 

Several destinations in the region have been growing significantly in bookings of 28 nights or more for US and other origin country guests comparing 2019 with 2021². For example: 

• Reservations for this period of stays in the British Virgin Islands have more than doubled
• Reservations in Guyana have doubled
• Reservations in Barbados have significantly grown 
• St. Maarten and Antigua & Barbuda have duplicated their bookings for longer stays comparing 2019 with 2021. 

Millennials between ages from 29 to 40 is the group with the highest growth of nights booked for  long term stays in different destinations in the Caribbean³ those featured in the Digital Nomads campaign which includes: 

• Anguilla 
• Antigua & Barbuda
• Barbados
• Belize
• The British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Dominica
• Guyana
• Martinique
• Montserrat
• St. Eustatius
• St. Kitts
• St. Lucia
• St. Maarten
• Trinidad

The bookings done by this group which travels with their families has grown up to 150 percent while the trend of solo travelers has grown over 90 percent⁴.

Travelers looking to stay 28 days or more have also been specific in their required amenities for stays. According to Airbnb data⁵, these travelers look for these top ten amenities: 

• Wireless Internet
• Kitchen
• Air conditioner
• Pool
• Washer
• Free parking
• TV or Cable
• Allows pets
• Dryer
• Laptop-friendly workspace

The top 5 North American cities with the highest booking of 28 nights or more⁶ to different countries in the Caribbean are:  Denver, DC, Miami, New York and Los Angeles. 

“Airbnb is proud to have partnered again with the CTO in order to keep promoting different destinations in the Caribbean so people can work and travel within. The steady recovery of Caribbean tourism has brought opportunities for digital nomads and long stay programs that help to diversify the visitor experience to live and work within the region.” said Theo Yedinsky, Director of Global Campaigns at  Airbnb.

“The United States has long been a major source market for several destinations in the Caribbean and will be an important target market as tourism continues to return to full strength in the region. The CTO is very encouraged by the latest Airbnb report, it adds to the excitement of what we believe will be an extremely successful campaign to welcome even more digital nomads to the Caribbean, from the United States.” said Faye Gill, CTO, Director, Membership Services.   

Our Live and Work Anywhere campaign is one of the many initiatives in the CTO’s ongoing program to help its members rebuild tourism and shine a light on digital nomad programs in their destinations.