Family trips and vacations rank high in the travel priorities of Filipinos, according to the Airbnb’s Philippines Travel Trends Survey 2021 data from analytics firm YouGov.
The preference outranked business and shopping trips as shown by the data where at least six out of 10 Filipino or 60% `chose family vacations as the primary reason to travel this year. Followed by free time to unwind and relax, and visiting close relatives and friends.
The Airbnb-commissioned survey gathered responses from a sample population of 1,067 Filipinos between February 4 and 8.
The results showed that travel with immediate and extended family is one reason for domestic travel among them, with 88% of the respondents saying they felt more connected with their families during the pandemic.
The results likewise show in choosing travel accommodations, health and safety protocols (64%) and affordability (61%) are top considerations. Some 53% of the respondents also prefer traveling to less crowded, off-the-beaten-path destinations, away from mass tourist hotspots.
Road travels are expected to dominate the Filipinos’ choices once travel restrictions are relaxed following the roll-out of the government’s anti Covid vaccination program, and they are likely to travel close to nature and places outside their communities bot close to home.
The Airbnb survey also showed that beachside destinations topped Filipinos’ bucket lists in 2021, with Boracay emerging as their top go-to destination, followed closely by Palawan, Baguio, Siargao, and Tagaytay.
Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb’s general manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan said people are “more likely to start traveling to places near their homes, so that so local and domestic tourism will likely take center stage before borders open up and cross-border travel resumes.”
“Travelers are also looking at slower, more mindful travel amidst nature. We believe that travel is resilient and will bounce back in time, and we anticipate that unique and family-friendly travel will serve as the impetus for domestic tourism recovery,” he added.
Airbnb said it intends to work closely with key policymakers and industry stakeholders on a sustainable way forward for its listings to be accredited, in line with the government’s regulations for leisure travel.