Manila, Philippines – The travel trend to ‘escape’ to more off-beat destinations dominates Filipinos’ New Year’s Eve (NYE) plans, but the preference to stay in the metro still tops their choice for the celebration.
According to a report by digital travel platform Agoda, Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, came out as the number one destination for Filipinos’ NYE plans. Aside from the vibrant and crowded city of Manila, the report shows that travelers also prefer to celebrate their New Year in the country’s popular tourist attraction Boracay, landing at the second spot.
Meanwhile, Cebu ranked third for its rich history and proximity to multiple islands, while the fourth spot was nabbed by Tagaytay, which is close to the city center that offers scenic views of the Taal lake volcano. Lastly, Baguio, ended at fifth, with Filipinos’ wanting to make the most out of the ‘sweater’ weather.
Moreover, new joiners Bohol, which is known for its chocolate hills, and the hustle and bustle city of Davao made it to the list of popular destinations for the New Year, knocking off Laguna and Iloilo off the top ten list.
Timothy Hughes, Agoda’s vice president of corporate development, noted that their data shows that in addition to the big city, traditional, celebration destinations, travelers across Asia are showing their ongoing desire to escape the constrictions and controls of pandemic impacted cities.
He further shared that the appeal of Asia’s beaches, stunning scenery, and freedom of open space has people heading for the coast and mountains in droves.
“Data shows that Taiwanese and Thai travelers are booking higher star category hotels compared to last year. Joining travelers from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Korea, and Vietnam in the hunt for a luxurious end to a tough 2021,” said Hughes.
The report also found that in Asia, the preference for four to five-star hotels is even stronger with Taiwan and Thailand travelers upgrading from one to three-point-five-star accommodation for New Year’s Eve this year, joining Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, and Vietnam travelers who continue to choose 4-5 star venues to celebrate the arrival of 2022. Meanwhile, in India, one to three-point-five-star hotels remain popular among travelers, reflective of trends in 2020.
