E-travel app says Pinoys love to travel despite inflation

According to a report published by travel e-commerce platform Klook, many Filipinos are keen to travel once more, but they have become more "deliberate" with how and where they spend their money as growing inflation reduces cash for leisure expenditure.

Klook's Travel Pulse Survey, performed in late 2022, found that at least 87 percent of Filipinos polled were keen to travel once more.

According to Klook Philippines and Thailand General Manager Michelle Ho, of this, 17% have completed bookings, which is deemed moderate compared to other markets.

According to Ho, the study also revealed that 44% of Filipino tourists prefer longer stays of six to nine days. Thirty-eight percent like one- to two-day trips, while 40% prefer three to five days.

The study found that 75% of Filipino tourists are "ready to spend some money" to travel, Klook added, even if 79 percent of those surveyed expressed a desire to travel.

The analysis revealed that domestic bookings increased 87 percent in 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

Although Klook stated it is expanding to other towns like Baguio and Iloilo and other locations around the country, Boracay is still the top tourist destination in the country, followed by Tagaytay, Cebu, Clark, and Subic.

According to Ho, the platform is currently present in more cities nationwide than before the outbreak, at 21.

Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong are favorites among Filipinos who go abroad. As Hong Kong reopened in January, the survey found that bookings increased by 230 percent.