BI still expects high int’l travel volume

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) said it expects international travel figures to remain robust in the coming weeks despite ongoing regional instability.

This, after passenger volumes remained high in the past week, notwithstanding flight disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East, Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado said in a news release on Wednesday.

During the peak period from March 29 to April 5, the agency said it processed a total of 782,344 passengers at international ports of entry. This volume included 391,243 arrivals and 391,101 departures.

This was also slightly higher than the 371,731 arrivals and 361,361 departures recorded during the same Holy Week period in 2025, suggesting relatively steady outbound and inbound demand year on year.

For the first quarter of 2026, the BI said it handled almost 4.22 million arrivals, higher than the 3.87 million recorded in the same period in 2025.

Departures reached 4.52 million in the first three months, also exceeding the 4.20 million logged a year earlier.

The agency noted, however, that travel to and from Middle Eastern countries fell by about 80% during the quarter, even as overall volumes held firm due to bookings made prior to the war.

The BI added that it expects passenger volumes to remain stable in the near term, while noting that any easing of conflict conditions could support a rebound in affected routes. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking