Palawan and Boracay continue to be top attractions for Filipino travelers as these are the top local destinations likely to be visited once the lockdowns end, according to a poll by Colliers Philippines.
Of the poll respondents, 43 percent percent picked Palawan as the local destination they will likely visit once the government lifts all the travel restrictions.
Boracay followed with 36 percent, while Cebu garnered 14 percent.
In addition, Davao had a three percent share, while Bacolod and Iloilo accounted for a two percent share each.
“This shows that the Philippines’ most popular places to visit remain the same after more than a year of lockdown and Filipinos will take the chance to visit them once it is safe and travel restrictions are eased,” Colliers said.
For the time being, Colliers urges hotel and leisure players to prioritize vaccination of tourism workers, implement staff training and refresher programs, provide booking flexibility and concessions, adopt a multiple-use model (hotels used as quarantine and staycation facilities), and target domestic tourists in line with the Department of Tourism’s local tourism push.
“Colliers sees a slow recovery for the leisure sector especially with domestic and international travel restrictions still in place and new Covid variants dampening sentiment and travel,”the property services firm said.
“In our view, domestic travel will stoke the leisure sector first, particularly with the Philippine government’s thrust to improve hotel occupancies and revive local jobs. This is also in line with its goal of raising tourism’s contribution to the economy,” it added.
Colliers said hotel operators should continue tweaking their marketing strategies to maximize the sector’s recovery.
It added that hotel operators should implement trainings and refresher programs to maintain the highest levels of quality; provide flexibility in guests’ bookings; prioritize staff vaccinations; take advantage of incentives given by the government for hotels operating amid COVID-19; and adopt a multiple-use model to cater to both leisure and quarantine guests.