VOX POPULI | After three years of travel restrictions, where do Filipinos want to go now?

MANY FILIPINOS are now going on “revenge travels” after spending the past three years confined to their homes due to strict mobility rules amid a public health crisis.

In a post-pandemic world, Filipinos are eager to create new memories, whether they travel locally or abroad.

The Philippine Travel Agencies Association, Inc. held its annual Travel Expo from Feb. 3 to 5, offering a variety of travel deals. As the first one taking place post-pandemic, many Filipinos flocked to the scene.

The requirements were what stopped people from traveling, said Angelica, 32, who went to the expo hoping for flight packages.

“We waited for the pandemic to die down before even checking flights,” she said.

When it comes to dream destinations, Filipinos have been eyeing neighboring Southeast Asian countries.

For Aldrin, 43, who has done vlogs in Catanduanes, foreign culture and heritage are the next boxes he’s looking to tick.

“Vietnam is where I want to go because of the deep culture that they have,” he said. “When it comes to heritage sites, I would go with Thailand.”

For distant countries, it’s important to find promos that can somewhat get costs down, said Kenji, 47.

“I’m planning to go to the United States by this year, so I hope I can get a promo from this event.” he said.

Edward, 38, already acted on his excitement to travel last year and managed to book a trip to Japan, his dream destination.

Cristina, 34, and Nino, 35, lamented that they had traveled a lot before the pandemic, to countries like the United Arab Emirates and Australia. They hope to add more stamps to their passports this year as a family.

For younger Filipinos like Patrick, 24, the hunt for affordable deals is all the more important given his limited budget.

“It will only be my second time traveling internationally,” he shared.

When it comes to why Filipinos travel, the answers are simple: “family bonding” and “building memories,” according to Imelda, 57.

Marie, 23, added that stress is a major factor since traveling refreshes people by exposing them to beautiful sights. — Brönte H. Lacsamana