Travel: Airbnb’s Top 10 Properties for ‘Desktop Travellers’

Still feeling the back-to-work blues? Research from Airbnb show’s you’re not alone as the site sees a 36% rise in browse-time from December to January. A British neuropsychologist has identified a developing breed of ‘desktop travellers’ who browse holiday sites in January as a means of escapism.

British neuropsychologist Dr David Lewis has identified a rise in people browsing holiday sites as a means of escapism, terming this ‘desktop holidays’.

This news comes as Airbnb releases data showing a significant rise in how long people spend lusting after holiday destinations in January. Typically guests browse for 36 percent more time in January than December, which Dr David Lewis attributes to the intrinsic desire for a feel-good boost.

Research from the UK confirms that 75 per cent of people regularly browse travel websites to cheer themselves up – one in three doing so when they should be working. This isn’t the only coping mechanism however; one in ten admit to taking a sniff of sunscreen for a spot of sensory escapism, and actually booking a holiday makes 15 per cent of women happier than sex.

“One answer is to use the Internet to fantasise about your perfect holiday in the sun,” said Dr Lewis. “This form of ‘Mind Travel’ causes feel-good chemicals such as dopamine, dubbed the ‘pleasure pedal,’ to flood into your brain making us happier, more energetic and more optimistic.”

As for the type of properties that make up these dream holidays, the more unusual the better. Browsers using Airbnb’s Wish List tool are choosing treehouses over stately homes, and dreaming about igloos, converted vans, lighthouses and caves.

Here are the top 10 properties as chosen by ‘desktop travellers’ on the website Airbnb:

1. Secluded Intown Treehouse Atlanta, GA, United States