Since the pandemic started, demand has skyrocketed for destinations travelers can drive to rather than fly, which creates an amazing opportunity for local homeowners to earn some extra cash, writes Zach Wichter for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
According to Airbnb and Vrbo, which allow homeowners to rent out rooms in their homes or properties to short-term vacationers, traveler preferences have shifted drastically over the last eleven months. People are more likely to stay closer to home and visit places with outdoor activities instead of urban centers with indoor attractions.
Image via Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board.
“Once people feel safe to travel, they will,” said Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky. “But it will look different than before the pandemic. Travel will be viewed as an antidote to isolation and disconnection.”
An Airbnb report has found that over a third of vacationers are planning to travel this year to reconnect with friends and family, but want to do it in a more domestic or local destination.
This means that homeowners in less crowded areas near large cities – such as Philadelphia or the Jersey Shore – could easily start supplementing their income by renting out their homes to short-term visitors looking to escape the city.
Read more about close-to-home travel-related opportunities at The Philadelphia Inquirer by clicking here.
