INTERNATIONAL and domestic flight-related searches are increasing as the holiday season approaches, digital travel platform Agoda said.
“It’s exciting to see more Filipinos looking to celebrate New Year’s Eve abroad,” Mike Hwang, Agoda country director, said in a statement on Tuesday.
According to Agoda, a 34% increase in accommodation searches for international trips has highlighted the influx of Filipinos traveling abroad to celebrate the beginning of 2025.
The digital travel platform added that Tokyo, Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok, and Singapore are the top five destinations among Filipinos.
Domestic travel searches also increased by 2%, while inbound searches grew by 10% compared to last year.
The company added that Manila, Cebu, and Boracay Islands are the most popular domestic destinations.
Meanwhile, international travelers, predominantly from South Korea, Japan, and the United States, prefer Manila, Cebu, and Bohol.
“More interest from international travelers consider starting 2025 here in the Philippines,” Mr. Hwang said.
In preparation for the passengers brought by the holiday season, flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will mount more flights to key domestic and international destinations.
“Our goal is to help people reunite with their loved ones, and we’re committed to expanding our services to meet the needs of our customers and make holiday travel as convenient as possible,” PAL said in a statement.
As of Dec. 15, international visitors to the Philippines reached 5.65 million, falling short of its 7.7-million goal for the year, according to the Department of Tourism. — Almira Louise S. Martinez
