Young Filipinos still love road trips despite traffic

Michelle Ho, general manager of Klook Philippines and Thailand— photo by Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

MANILA, Philippines — Despite heavy traffic congestion, road trips remain a thing for Filipino millennials and Gen Zs who like to travel in groups to visit popular local tourist destinations, according to a study by travel platform Klook.

Michelle Ho, general manager of Klook Philippines and Thailand, said in a recent event in Taguig that the majority of Klook users—who are mostly in Metro Manila—prefer land travel and they usually go to neighboring provinces to unwind.

Popular nearby destinations are Batangas and Tagaytay, which offer hotels and restaurants with a view. Travel time via land from the National Capital Region is about two hours.

Some also like going as far as Baguio, the go-to place for many who want to escape the Metro Manila heat. Driving to the country’s summer capital can take about five hours.

While 74 percent of the respondents like road trips, Klook noted that air travel is still preferred for visiting places like Boracay and Palawan. After all, about 86 percent of the respondents said they were always on the lookout for airline promotions like seat sales.

Gen Zs, millennials

Ho said Gen Z travelers love to go to these places with their friends, traveling in groups of seven to eight people. Millennials, however, prefer smaller groups with just three to four family members or friends.

Most of these travelers usually go for “staycation” in these places during long weekends. The respondents said they allot a budget of P15,000 to P30,000 for local trips that usually take four to six days.

In general, the Klook official expressed an optimistic outlook for domestic tourism for this year as 92 percent of the respondents said they already have travel plans this early.

Meanwhile, 76 percent of the local respondents are also keen on traveling internationally this year. The study showed that Filipinos prefer visiting Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Thailand for sightseeing, shopping and outdoor adventures.

About 66 percent of the surveyed millennials and Gen Zs in the Philippines expressed willingness to increase travel budget by up to 50 percent. Usual budget is P15,000 to P50,000 for international trips.

The surveyed travelers book their flight tickets four to six months ahead of the scheduled trip.