How Travel in the Philippines May Change after COVID

The travel and tourism industry has been hit hard by the global pandemic. At this point, everything remains uncertain, and we can’t really know if and when things will bounce back to “normal.” As movement around the world has become restricted, airlines and hotels have been forced to cut jobs to lower costs. We can’t expect the same frequency of flights and the vast travel options that we had just two months ago.

Travel as we know it will never be the same again. Here are just a few predictions for travel in the post-COVID era in the Philippines.

Focus on Domestic Travel; more expensive flights

With limited flights, visa restrictions, and the fear of getting sick or getting stuck in other countries, or increased security for passengers, international air travel won’t bounce back immediately but will only ease slowly. Airlines will probably resume domestic flights first to the most important hubs and cities in the country where public health conditions are best and demand is strongest.

Major cities and hubs with international airports and infrastructure in the Philippines include Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Davao, Kalibo and Puerto Princesa in Palawan. Routes that have been operating cargo and medical supply flights will gradually ease to allow passengers. While some low-cost airlines will probably offer cheap flights just to encourage passengers to fly, this will not be sustainable in the long run. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts that the need to impose social distancing during air travel will mean the end of cheap flights.

Cruise ships have to go

Globally, cruise tourism is going to suffer. Not only does the cruise industry contribute to over-tourism in the coastal destinations they dock in, but they’re also very bad for the environment, regularly dumping sewage and human waste into the waters. With all the horror stories about people stranded on cruise ships during the pandemic not allowed to dock, it’s probably going to take a while before people will want to take vacations on cruise ships again. However, local sea travel could prosper.

As a country made up of over 7,000 islands, we will need to rely more on sea routes for inter-island travel (which is the norm in smaller islands without airports anyway). Sea travel in between major ports and islands (like Manila to Batangas) could open up to passenger service soon after, operating on a limited capacity and only allowing fewer passengers than they accepted before to prevent overcrowding. Ships that overcrowd passengers are going to have to rethink their set-ups and step up their sanitation game.

Road trips are going to become more popular

Because people are going to be wary about traveling by air and sea, I foresee that there will be increased interest in land-based travel. Those based in Manila will be eager to travel by land to the most accessible places in mainland Luzon. The unreliability and fear of public transport and low gas prices will probably encourage more people to buy private vehicles like cars and motorcycles. However, a spike in private vehicle use could potentially worsen the already horrendous traffic in major cities like Manila had before the lockdown.

There’ll probably be renewed interest in old-fashioned road trips. With limited international or domestic flights, people will go back to scenic road trips to visit family and friends, weekend rides to nature spots near Manila, overnight camping, and simpler getaways to nearby provinces. Motorcycle tourism was just starting to take off in the Philippines in the past few years, and I think this will only increase more in the months immediately after the lockdown is lifted. After months of being cooped up indoors, people have all this pent-up energy and want to get a taste of freedom just because they can. It’s more evident than ever how useful it has to have a way to get around while still practicing social distancing, and motorcycles can give you that. More women will probably want to learn how to drive or buy their own motorcycle for mobility, so they don’t have to rely on anyone else to drive them around.

More bike-friendly infrastructure (hopefully)

If there’s anything that the quarantine has taught us, it’s that bicycles are the most sustainable form of transport. Milan is hoping to emerge from lockdown with cleaner and greener transport options in place and combat the spike in car use by announcing an expansion of bike and pedestrian paths to protect commuters from infection risk. I really REALLY hope that cities and LGUs in the Philippines will also create the proper infrastructure like bike lanes and bike-friendly parking spaces to encourage more people to use bicycles, especially for short distances.

Biking is the best way to travel while still complying with the need for social distancing. Biking is a legitimate way to get fresh air and exercise outdoors. It’s eco-friendly and encourages users to travel more slowly. Cyclists can easily scratch that travel itch because every ride offers a new adventure. If you don’t know how to ride a bicycle yet, now is the best time to learn how and to invest in one. Aside from walking, other options for mobility that I’ve seen people use during the quarantine are e-bikes and e-scooters.

Slower / more purposeful travel

Given all the death and suffering that has resulted from the pandemic, it may seem insensitive to be seen traveling for leisure immediately after the lockdown is lifted. Business travel will rebound first, along with families who are willing to go through the additional hassles and spend more just to be able to celebrate life after the lockdown. Travelers will probably want to spend more time in one destination, just enjoying the change of scenery and chilling out instead of trying to pack in sightseeing at crowded tourist spots and landmarks. In the past, social media has glamorized jet-setting and exotic travel to international destinations, but why do we travel in the first place? It’s just for a change of scenery and you can easily get that in nearby local destinations.

Growing up, our trips were few and far between. It was normal for our family to just have one trip a year. It was something that my parents planned very carefully and the whole family looked forward to. To be honest, those trips felt really special and meaningful. I tend to remember these trips very fondly even if they were simple. Right before the pandemic happened, it felt that there were just so many options available because of low-cost flights. Often, travel felt like a race and an endless list of places to tick off just to say you’ve been there. A lot of people in my travel circle were starting to feel jaded from traveling. This pandemic has made me realize that slow and purposeful travel is the way to go.

I also think Voluntourism (combining travel and volunteer efforts) might pick up once we can all travel again. Maybe those feeling guilty and grateful for being able to travel will want to include activities that give back to local communities through charity work, feeding programs, or donation drives to make their trip feel more meaningful.

No big festivals and events for a while

Because of the need to quarantine, a lot of big events had to be canceled. Festivals, sporting events, marathons, conferences, expos, music shows, food fests, fun runs, concerts, theatre productions, workshops, weddings, and just about anything that involves a live audience or public gathering might not be coming back any time soon.

Instead, we’ve seen a lot of live streaming, videos, online gatherings, and intimate celebrations at home. I think in the future, gatherings will be much smaller and celebrated at a community level. Small home-based pot luck dinner parties will replace buffets and dining out in malls and restaurants. Maybe, this will help people feel safer and will be something to look forward to rather than meeting in public spaces with lots of strangers.

Smaller group tours

For many budget travelers, the financial uncertainty of jobs and lost income during the period where they couldn’t work will mean less disposable income for travel. With low-cost airfare a thing of the past and new travel restrictions, destinations will be less crowded. They have to be. Jam-packed joiner’s tours where people are squeezed in a van like sardines will have to rethink their business model. The tourist sites themselves (like museums, etc.) could put limits on the number of visitors allowed at a time or impose a stricter scheduling system, which will deter only the most determined tourists.

I’m hoping that the quarantine will put an end to mass tourism models like bus tours, which contributed a lot to over-tourism. Van tours will probably continue, but they’ll need to allow only fewer passengers, which means the cost per passenger will increase. In the age of social distancing, more travelers will be encouraged to visit a place if they can be reassured that slots are limited, group sizes remain small, or if there’s an option for private tours. This actually improves the quality of the travel experience.

Focus on cleanliness, sanitation, and premium private spaces

Public places like malls, hotels, and restaurants are going to have to ensure clean, well-sanitized environments to encourage people to patronize them once again. Hotels and resorts that offer secluded spaces like private pools or private beach fronts are going to be much more aspirational especially for luxury travelers. Maybe hotels will also need to start imposing limits on the number of people who can use certain facilities (like gyms, pools, etc.) at a time to ensure public safety.

For restaurants, I think that private dining will be more preferred that large-style buffets and communal dining. Optimizing delivery, takeout, and pre-ordering will be essential. Places like hostels and co-working spaces that thrive on shared spaces are probably going to have to adapt or rethink their models or increase their rates to survive in the short-term.

Digital, cashless and flexible transactions

People are going to want to book trips and secure tickets through online means or an app, rather than having to physically line up and have paper tickets. We’ve all seen the rise of on-demand services for food and entertainment, and it only makes sense to utilize this in the travel industry. Going ticketless and cashless should be the norm for different aspects of travel, including local transfers and activities. It would help if we had an integrated seamless system that works on all forms of public transport (like the Beep card).

Flexibility is also the key for app-based transactions. Making vouchers open-dated or transferable would help. Bookings need to be easily full refundable or open to rebooking due to unforeseen circumstances or travel restrictions that come up in the future.

The rise of less-visited destinations

I’m guessing right after the lockdown is lifted, the most accessible and popular tourist spots like Baguio, La Union, and Puerto Galera will be crowded with local tourists eager to spend time outdoors. Destinations considered more remote, uncrowded, off-the-beaten-path, untouristy, and rarely visited are going to become more attractive to travelers looking to go somewhere new.

READ MORE: Best beaches in Luzon for social distancing

Maybe this is the time time to shine the light on previously overlooked destinations in the country such as Quirino, Abra, Isabela, Apayao, and Nueva Vizcaya. However, I really hope that proper planning is made when it comes to developing tourist spots and that we all prioritize sustainable tourism. Limits need to be put on the number of tourists per place so as not to destroy fragile environments and natural resources in these destinations.

A real focus on sustainability

Before this pandemic happened, the tourism industry was grappling with problems of over-tourism, rapid development, the destruction of the natural environment, and commercialization. It’s about time the whole travel industry had a chance to slow down. Honestly, because of mass tourism, travel expectations were often far from reality.

Moving forward, I really hope that we can work towards sustainable, responsible, and ethical travel. This downtime in travel is a golden opportunity for everyone in the travel industry to rethink how we’ve been doing things and plan better.

We’ve all marveled at how wonderful it is to have clean air, see the mountains from the city, and listen to the birds while we’re stuck at home. The majority of people have not had to deal with hellish commutes or horrible traffic jams in the city as businesses transitioned to work-from-home and digital platforms emerged. With outside forms of entertainment no longer available, we’ve realized just what are the most essential things we really need to survive.

The moment the lockdown is lifted, we can’t just go back to how things used to be.

We’ve been given a chance to reset the whole travel game and start from scratch. Here’s to hoping the new normal we carve out from this makes the world a better place for everyone – not just the people, but for the environment.