A recent survey by GrabAds, the advertising arm of Grab, found that Thailand and Japan are the most popular vacation destinations for Filipinos in 2023. The survey polled 2,000 respondents from the Philippines and found that 70% of them plan to travel abroad at least once in the next 12 months, while 82% said they intend to travel more than twice in the same reference period.
Of the Filipino leisure travelers’ favored destinations in Southeast Asia, Singapore ranks a close second behind Thailand, with Malaysia and Vietnam sharing third place. Outside of Southeast Asia, after Japan, Filipinos would also want to visit South Korea and the United States, ranking in second and third place, respectively.
The findings of the GrabAds survey are consistent with data from the Embassy of Japan in Manila, which recently announced that Filipinos are among its top visitors from the Association of Southeast Nations, having reached 328,800 from January to July this year. This was already 98.77% of the 332,891 who visited in the same period in prepandemic 2019.
The popularity of Thailand and Japan as vacation destinations for Filipinos is likely due to several factors, including their relatively affordable prices, their rich cultural attractions, and their beautiful scenery. Thailand is also known for its delicious food, friendly people, and vibrant nightlife.
Meanwhile, Japan is a popular destination for Filipinos who are interested in learning about Japanese culture and history, as well as experiencing the country’s unique attractions, such as hot springs, temples, and shrines.
Source: PhilNews24 | September 19, 2023
