The Philippine Tour Operators Association (Philtoa) has created 32 new land travel packages in the island of Luzon, including destinations near metro Manila, as domestic air travel is rendered complicated by the ever-changing lockdown levels and restrictions across the country.
Having been cooped up at home for the past 18 months, it is “a relief” for Filipinos “just to get out of their houses”, even if it’s just a trip to a nearby destination, Philtoa president Cesar Cruz said during the press conference of the hybrid Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) 2021.
He said the island of Luzon has attractions that appeal to domestic tourists, in various combinations of beaches, farm-based, nature-based, gastronomic, natural landscapes and other outdoor activities.
The new overland tours that the locals are interested in, and are easier to travel to with many road networks, include the nearby areas of metro Manila like Rizal, Cavite, Laguna and Batangas as well as the Bicol and Quezon province circuit.
In Visayas and Mindanao, Cruz said the complications on domestic air travel can be avoided as ferries are available to transport tourists from one island to another.
While some quarters have commented that people will have no budget left for travelling once tourism restarts, Cruz suggested otherwise, citing the case of Boracay’s reopening to tourists from metro Manila last June. The island’s visitor profile showed that the tourists were from the low and middle market segments, not high-end.
From his observations, travellers have already embraced the safety protocols in place while travelling in the post-Covid era, including getting their QR code registrations and submitting negative RT-PCR test results.
Cruz is “very optimistic” that before the year ends, domestic travel will be ready to take off, subject to the easing of travel restrictions in the respective destinations.
Since the launch of the Samui Plus programme on July 15 that allows fully vaccinated international travellers to enter Samui without quarantine, the number of arrivals to the Thai island through September 20 totalled 786.
This has resulted in 9,823 room nights and 58.9 million baht (US$1.76 million) in revenue, reported the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
The bulk of arrivals were from European countries with the top three source markets being France with 136 arrivals, Germany with 119 arrivals, and the UK with 105 arrivals. Other markets included the Netherlands, the US, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Hong Kong, and Japan.
Bangkok Airways’ 132 sealed route flights between Samui and Bangkok has helped facilitate the transport of transit/transfer passengers under the Samui Plus programme.
In addition, since the launch of the Phuket Sandbox 7+7 Extension programme on August 16, international travellers have been able to continue their trip to Samui after first staying seven nights in Phuket.
Up till September 20, 232 visitors have extended their trip via Bangkok Airways’ 16 sealed route flights between Samui and Phuket, resulting in an additional 1,245 room nights and 7.46 million baht in revenue.
Between July 15 and September 20, Samui also welcomed 575 international travellers who had completed the 14-night mandatory stay in Phuket under the Sandbox programme.
Samui Plus has recorded 11,062 room nights on the books from 855 visitors up until December 10. Separately, there are advance bookings for 3,141 room nights from 490 visitors under the Phuket Sandbox 7+7 Extension up until November 27.