Lifestyle Trend: Filipinos still traveling closer to home as costs, uncertainty rise You Should Know

Filipinos are not cutting back on travel in 2026, but they are rethinking how far they are willing to go.

Faced with rising fuel costs, global tensions, and growing uncertainty over long-haul trips, more Filipinos are choosing destinations closer to home, even as overall demand remains steady.

Data from travel platform Klook showed that while travel intent has not weakened, destination choices are tightening as travelers are favoring nearby Asian destinations and domestic trips over long-haul travel.

Klook Philippines General Manager Michelle Ho said the shift reflects a more cautious but still active traveler.

“Intent for travel has not wavered, but where they go and how they spend is evolving,” she said.

Shifting to regional travel

Klook’s 2026 Travel Pulse study, based on over 11,000 respondents across Asia-Pacific, showed that Filipinos are increasingly concentrating their travel within the region:

• 67% plan trips to Northeast Asia (Japan, South Korea, China)
• 30% to Southeast Asia, and
• 3% to South Asia and Oceania.

This marked a clear pullback from long-haul destinations, which had been gaining traction in previous years.

Ho said Europe, once an emerging aspiration for Filipino travelers, has effectively dropped off current priorities.

“When we conducted the study in December, we were seeing a rise in Europe,” she said. “But with what’s happening now, people feel it’s more unpredictable.”

Caution without cancellation

Despite these shifts, Klook said it has not seen a material decline in bookings, highlighting the resilience of Filipino travelers.

Trips for early 2026, particularly to Japan and South Korea, were largely booked months in advance, cushioning demand from immediate shocks such as rising oil prices.

What is beginning to change, however, is booking behavior.

“If before people were comfortable booking six to eight months out, now we’re seeing a more wait-and-see approach,” Ho said.

Spending on experiences

Meanwhile, Filipino travelers are not increasing their overall travel budgets, but they are changing how they spend them.

Instead of allocating more to flights and hotels, many are shifting their spending toward food, experiences, and shared moments.

Klook data showed that more than half of travelers are planning to keep spending on airfare and accommodations unchanged, even as costs rise globally.

Instead, 42.6% are willing to spend more on food, while 25.7% are increasing spending on experiences such as tours, activities, and workshops.

Ho said this reflects a deeper shift in how Filipinos define value when they travel.

“Before, a cheap flight was enough reason to go,” she said. “Now, people ask: what can I actually do there?” she added. — JMA, GMA Integrated News