AirAsia Berhad : 7 out of 10 Filipinos pushing through with air travel in 2022, AirAsia survey shows

The survey results indicate that Filipinos will be traveling in smaller groups in 2022, preferring to travel with families (69%), partners (40%), and close friends (24%) over work colleagues, solo trips, and group tours. This also reflects the yearning of some Filipinos to reconnect with their loved ones from whom they were isolated in the past couple of years. 53 percent of respondents cited the need to be with families and friends as the main reason for deciding to push through with their travel, while the need for a vacation (52%) and confidence in the LGU control of COVID-19 (49%) closely follow.

The total travel expense also strongly influences the plans of Filipino tourists this year. Only 13 percent of the respondents are willing to spend Php 30,001 to Php 40,000 in total for their travel, as 15 and 38 percent of them limit their budget to Php 15,000 to Php 20,000, and sub-Php14,999, respectively. Frugality has been expected by air carriers given the economic impact of Covid-19 and the long list of essentials in a pandemic, as well as the need to grow personal emergency funds. In line with this, Filipinos keep an eye out for bang-for-buck offers that can help them in their trips like complete tour package deals of Flights + Hotel + Tours and Activities (66%), discounted Flight + Hotel bundles (61%), and discounted Food + Activities bundles (59%). Among the respondents, those that hail from Mindanao have shown higher interest in the aforementioned. This is also reflected in the reasons why flyers consider the world's best low-cost airline for flight bookings over competitors - value for money (80%) and better promos and packages (60%).