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MANILA, Philippines – Despite budget constraints, stressed Filipinos are working around their work schedules to book their trips to increasingly popular destinations like Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand so they can take a breather, according to online travel platform Klook. Klook Philippines general manager Michelle Ho, in a press briefing in Makati on Wednesday, said that Filipinos are raring to take a mental health break to destress and focus on their well-being. “The change in work situation from Covid to work from-home and now hybrid situation and returning to office.
A lot has happened in the past two years alone that needed a lot of adjustment,” Ho explained. READ: Local travel agencies see ‘robust’ year for PH tourism “Them wanting to do something different from being in the office to being outdoors is good way of changing things up,” she added. She said the travelers—who are usually millennials and Gen Zs—see traveling as a “therapeutic tool.
” In Klook’s 2025 Travel Pulse survey, it was revealed that flights to Vietnam more than tripled while flights to Taiwan more than doubled last year. Bookings to Thailand, meanwhile, grew by 78 percent. Ho said that more Filipinos have become more interested in these Asian destinations because of their rich culture, in addition to being affordable compared to other countries.
“Filipinos are always wanting to learn more about other cultures, their history and heritage,” she said. Still, Japan, South Korea and Singapore remain popular travel spots for Filipinos. The local go-to destinations, meanwhile, are Cebu, Davao, Siargao, Tagaytay and Boracay.
Apart from work schedules, 57.7 percent of the surveyed Filipinos cited financial constraints as potential deterrents to traveling. Ho explained the rising interest in travel does not necessarily translate to Filipinos having more disposable income.
However, she said that Filipinos were “intentional” with their spending, allotting a portion of their budget to traveling if it is a priority. The majority or 65 percent of the respondents also prefer booking bundles—flights, accommodation and activities—as they seek value-for-money packages when traveling. When Filipinos travel, they do outdoor activities, digital detox, wellness and meditation retreats and attend workshops and classes they find interesting, the survey noted.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Filipinos, who plan their trips one to three months ahead of their flights, turn to social media platforms like TikTok to know about popular itineraries.
“Based on our study, social media has made an impact on the way Filipinos plan their travels and the motivations that create their itineraries,” Ho said..
