Among Asians, Pinoys most concerned about cost, safety of domestic vacation

WITH the summer season now underway, Southeast Asian travelers are intent on going on vacations domestically, but also concerned about the slowly simmering inflationary costs of traveling, as well as the safety of their intended destinations.

In a survey by Milieu Insight Pte. Ltd. of summer travel plans by Southeast Asians, an average of 55 percent of those surveyed in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia are planning to travel domestically this year. Also, over 60 percent of the 1,966 respondents prioritize safety and cost when choosing domestic travel destinations.

“Our report highlights the summer travel plans of many Southeast Asians. As people seek to explore their own countries, affordability and safety are key factors driving their choice,” said Gerald Ang, Founder and CEO of Milieu Insight, a survey software company based in Singapore, in a news statement on Tuesday. “At the same time, many travelers in Asia are increasingly budget-driven, and they are embracing familyoriented experiences, by finding value in land transportation and road trips,” he added.

Among the countries surveyed, the Philippines is the most willing to travel domestically at 60 percent of respondents. Yet Filipinos are also the most concerned about the “safety of travel and destination” (73 percent of respondents), and the “cost of the whole vacation” (66 percent). Cost concerns, in fact, have driven many Filipinos to take vacations in other Southeast Asian countries where P20,000 can already buy them an air ticket, hotel stays, and tours. (See, “More Filipinos traveling abroad for the Lenten break,” in the BUSINESSMIRROR, March 28, 2024.)

Unperturbed by dead spot

SURPRISINGLY, Filipinos, who are the most voracious social media users in the region, are the least concerned about “whether there is good phone signal at the destination” (20 percent of respondents). They are also not so influenced by marketing, with only 22 percent of respondents making travel choices based on the “promotion of destination”. Thais and Indonesians are the least concerned about destination promotions at 18 percent of respondents in each country.

Sixty percent of respondents in the Philippines are “somewhat likely” to tap the services of a travel agency when planning their domestic trips, ranking the highest among other nationalities, while only six percent indicated they are “very unlikely” to do so.

The survey also showed an average of 74 percent of the Southeast Asian travelers prefer traveling by land when taking domestic vacations, with Thais (88 percent of local respondents) and Indonesians (76 percent) ranking the highest. No information was available specifically for the Philippines.

Family time is quality time

MILIEU reported that 79 percent of travelers in Southeast Asia are planning to go on domestic vacations with their families as they “[prioritize] quality time together, seeking to create cherished memories while exploring local hidden gems.”

The survey likewise indicated that families are eager to go on culinary journeys to taste the local flavors in their domestic destination of choice, and embark on “immersive touring experiences…and visit landmarks.”

An average of 78 percent of respondents across all surveyed countries prefer staying in hotels, but other alternatives are gaining momentum, according to the survey. For instance, 44 percent of Malaysian respondents choose the “personalized experiences” offered by Airbnb, while 47 percent of those in Thailand are “drawn to the luxury and exclusivity of pool villas.”

Milieu’s survey was carried out from March 7 to 31, 2024, and is representative of the online population aged 16 and above.