Domestic travel remains top preference among PH travelers

Booking data from travel platform Agoda reveals that visiting domestic destinations remains a priority for Filipinos. But as borders continue to open globally, Philippine-based travellers are keen now more than ever to explore international destinations.

In 2019 before travel was heavily restricted, countries that followed the Philippines as a top travel destination among Filipino travellers were Japan (#2), Hong Kong (#3), and Taiwan (#4). This year, these three were replaced by Singapore, the United States, and Thailand, respectively. This change also signifies major ranking leaps for Singapore, which was in sixth place in 2019, as well as for the United States which placed ninth.

Compared to 2019 where Asian countries dominated the Philippines’ top destination list, Filipinos in 2022 have set their sights on European countries like France, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland.

On the international front, Filipinos, Malaysians, and Indonesians are flocking to countries with cooler weather with the United Kingdom and the United States appearing as choice destinations. India, on the other hand, seeks out a warmer climate, with the Maldives taking the top spot followed by the United Arab Emirates.

A further comparison between booking data from 2019 and 2022 showed a shift in the top 10 destination choices for each country. Japan was among the top destination choices in 2019, ranking second most desired destination for the Philippines and third for Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia travellers. However, this year, Japan slipped out of the top 10 list as the country still remains closed to tourists. Other 2019 favourites such as China and Hong Kong also did not make the top 10 list this year with existing border closures. This indicates that countries that have been quick to ease restrictions and open their doors stand to gain from international tourist arrivals during this period.

Meanwhile, the top destinations this year also indicate that travellers are opting to travel further, with countries like France, Turkey, Germany and United Arab Emirates emerging as top destination choices. Switzerland, famously known for rich milky chocolate and mesmerizing alpine scenery has etched itself into the top 10 destination list for all markets.