FILIPINOS continue to be wary of traveling during this pandemic, but of those who did travel, many are staying close to home.
These were among the findings of “The Philippine Travel Survey Report: The Evolving Landscape of Domestic Travel in the Philippines,” a project of the Department of Tourism (DOT), Asian Institute of Management (AIM), and Guide to the Philippines. “Travel is still perceived as an answer to keeping Filipinos’ sanity. It is still seen as a priority… an elixir for cabin fever,” said AIM’s Eylla Laire M. Gutierrez.
A summary of the survey results were presented in a news conference in Intramuros on Wednesday. There were 7,234 respondents to the survey, of which, only 11 percent or 809 actually traveled. Respondents came from 78 provinces in the country, but AIM did not show the actual breakdown of the respondents’ provenance.
The largest slice of respondents involved those from the ages 31 to 40 years old (29 percent), 22-30 years old (27 percent), 41-50 years old (18 percent), and 18-21 years old (14 percent). The survey was conducted between Nov. 28 and Dec. 30, 2020 via various online platforms.
Inconvenient travel from differing LGU requirements
Another key finding is that travel behavior has changed, thereby opening opportunities to introduce new travel products and services. For instance, “Heritage sites such as Fort Santiago may actually be used to jumpstart activity as we found out that a lot of young travelers travel for study,” said Gutierrez. Also, families prefer not to travel with their children especially in multi-destinations, even though travel is considered a family activity.
The surveyed also showed “a top source of travel inconvenience” is the different travel and safety and protocols of the various local government units. “Standardization may be implemented at least province-wide or even circuit-wide. This is especially important in catering to spontaneous day trip travelers.”
Traveling can also be personalized, as such Gutierrez encouraged travel agencies and tour operators to develop tour packages tailored to the needs of their customers.
Last, the survey found that travelers now prefer mainly “outdoor activities, like going to the beach, hiking, and biking, such that….well-ventilated areas are preferred over confining spaces and facilities,” while “staycations” were the next preferred activity.
Travelers also preferred to travel with their families, considered the safest people to travel with, and “traveled close to home …so the more drivable a destination is, the more tourists,” said Gutierrez. AIM did not say which exact destinations were visited.
Intramuros sites reopens
After the event, DOT chief Bernadette Romulo Puyat visited some of the most famous sites inside Intramuros on its first day of reopening to tourists, following the recent decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) to allow operations of some businesses and industries, including limited tourist attractions such as parks, theme parks, natural sites, and historical sites.
Pointing out how the pandemic “drastically changed people’s relation with streets, public spaces, and public facilities,” Romulo Puyat cited the timely reopening of the Walled City to attract visitors with its accessible open spaces that allow movement within dense urban areas. “With the easing of quarantine restrictions while the recommended health and safety protocols remain in place, Intramuros is ready and prepared to welcome back the public to the city’s many plazas, open spaces, heritage sites, and museums,” she said.
From January 1 to March 12, 2020, Intramuros received some 700,000 visitors. Tourism sites within had been closed since the Covid-19 lockdown, although some private retail and food establishments reopened towards the end of 2020. In 2019, it attracted 3.2 million visitors.
Intramuros Administrator Guiller Asido told media that discussions are still ongoing with Manila City Hall if the usual procession and religious events during Holy Week will be held this year. For more information regarding visiting Intramuros, check out the IA’s web site or Facebook page.