LOOK: According to Google, the Philippines has Highest Inbound Travel Demand in SEA

Travelers are back.
by Ina Louise Manto | May 02, 2022

Boracay, Cebu, and Palawan are just some of the top local destinations you might have seen friends, family, and colleagues fly to this summertime. After two years of having travel plans on full stop, it seems that more travelers are becoming more confident to explore again, and the eagerness for revenge travel on both local and foreign travelers is seen on Travel Insights on Google.

PH has the highest inbound travel demand in SEA

According to Google APAC Travel Lead Hermoine Joye, the Philippines has experienced the highest upturn in inbound travel demand based on Google Search volumes.

In March, inbound demand – or visits by non-residents to a country – for the Philippines had already surpassed pre-pandemic figures, hitting 40%. The country has also seen the fastest resurgence in outbound travel, or visits by their residents, to other countries, with search volumes bouncing back to 70%.

Search trends make it clear that the travel environment today is more complex than it was before the pandemic:

• People are spending more time researching, planning, and finding options, seeking peace of mind, and making sure they’re covered for sudden changes. Travel insurance-related searches in Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines have seen year-on-year growth of more than 165%.
• Tourists are keen to stay longer when they do travel: interest in vacation rentals among Southeast Asian travelers rose by more than 1010% year on year.
• “Revenge travelers” — those most eager to make up for lost time — are ready to pay for premium travel options. Among travelers from the Philippines, searches for “luxury resorts” and “beach resorts” are up 60% year on year.
• There’s a growing consciousness of sustainability across the region — particularly in Singapore and the Philippines. Searches related to sustainability have grown by 45% since 2019, while searches related to greenhouse gas emissions have increased by more than 163% in Singapore and by more than 156% in the Philippines.

How is Google helping travelers?

Google is committed to helping travelers find the long-awaited travel experience they’re looking for while navigating the complex environment. On Google Travel, the Flights, Hotels, and Things to Do sections now provide more information on COVID — and give travelers the option to search for flexible booking options. The Google Travel Help website makes it easier for people to understand travel policies, restrictions, and special requirements. For travelers seeking out new experiences, more destinations are added to the Explore tab — including smaller cities and national parks — and options to filter by interests like outdoors, beaches, or skiing.

Travelers now have more sustainable choices when they research and book, including giving hotels the ability to show an eco-certified badge next to their name and share details about their sustainability-specific practices, and carbon emission estimates for flights.

How is Google helping the travel industry recover?

In addition to evolving tools for travelers, Google is helping industry partners tap into travel insights and plan for the future. Using Travel Insights with Google, businesses, governments, and tourism boards can make decisions based on up-to-date information and move quickly when an opportunity arises.

To help smaller businesses in the travel industry reach potential customers on a large scale, Google has made it possible for all hotels and travel companies to show free booking links in their profiles — and see how many people clicked on those links by generating reports on Hotel Center.

“This is a pivotal time for the industry. People are finally booking trips, having dreamed about it (and saved up for it) for so long… Looking ahead, there’s an enormous opportunity for travel businesses that can understand their customers and give them relevant, personalized experiences. We’ll keep doing everything we can to help, and to contribute to a strong, sustainable travel recovery across the region,” said Hermione Joye, APAC Travel Lead, Google.

Do you have any travel plans this 2022? Tell us below!