EastWest Leads Tourism Empowerment as Major Sponsor of Philippine Travel Mart 2025

Travel meets transformation at PTM 2025!

As a major sponsor of the Philippine Travel Mart 2025, EastWest Bank is helping fuel the growth of Philippine tourism through financing, digital tools, and collaborations that empower communities and travelers alike.

From exclusive early entrance perks for cardholders to travel-ready credit cards, loans, and seamless digital banking, EastWest is making journeys easier, smarter, and more rewarding. Because tourism isn’t just about destinations—it’s about identity, livelihood, and national pride.

Lufthansa Technik Philippines Celebrates 25 Years of Elevating Aviation and Empowering Filipino Careers

#Lufthansa Technik Philippines is celebrating 25 years of excellence in aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services—a silver milestone that highlights not just world-class aviation expertise, but also its deep investment in Filipino talent and the nation’s growth. 

From pioneering its first partnership in 2000 to becoming one of the most enduring foreign investments in the country, LTP has trained over 10,000 mechanics and engineers, empowered generations of Filipino families, and established Manila as a global aviation hub. Today, with 3,200 employees and a legacy of safety, skill, and trust, #LufthansaTechnikPhilippines proudly marks a quarter-century of keeping aircraft flying and futures soaring.

Plan Your Next Summer Getaway with These Travel-Friendly PH Destinations

Ready for your most epic summer yet? From island hopping in Iloilo to food tripping in Bacolod, inDrive gets you there—safely, affordably, and at your own pace. Discover how this ride-hailing app is changing the way we explore the Philippines. 

More than 90 Million Global Merchants Leverage Alipay+ Payment and Digitalisation Solutions to Attract and Engage Travellers this Chinese New Year

As global tourism transitions from a year of recovery to a year of growth in 2025, global merchants tap on Alipay+, Ant International’s cross-border mobile payment and digitalisation solutions, to enhance payments, in-app marketing and digital services development, to attract and welcome tourists for Chinese New Year, the first travel peak of the year.

EastWest Unveils Exclusive Visayas and Mindanao Credit Card Promos: Your Ticket to Paradise

EastWest Bank cardholders are in for a treat, as they discover an exclusive travel and dining deals across the Visayas and Mindanao regions, promising unforgettable experiences and unbeatable value.

Bayad and GETT Closes Partnership Deal to Offer Convenient Payment Solutions

Exciting news in the Philippine travel industry! Bayad partners with Gateway Express Travel & Tours (GETT) to make bill payments easier for travelers across the country. Now booking flights and paying bills for utilities, insurance, and other services via GETT's web platform became a lot easier

Travereel your new travel and social media app where you can Book, Travel, Connect, and Earn

There's a new travel app that not only lets you book and get the best rates on hotels and travel destinations, but also works as a social media tool to help you interact with other travelers, staycationers who share the same interest as you. 

It's like Tiktok and Facebook in one, the Travereel app revolutionizes travel experiences worldwide that lets you book, travel, connect socially, and earn commission by being a content creator slash traveler! Now available for both android and iPhone/iOS users.

New report shows Airbnb contribution to the Philippines economy and jobs since post pandemic travel reshuffle

New research from Oxford Economics found Airbnb is an important pillar of the Philippines’s tourism industry, with its activities contributing USD$840 million (45.7 million pesos) to Gross Domestic Product and supporting almost 103,800 jobs in the Philippines in 2022* alone.  

The report, commissioned by Airbnb, found the platform played a crucial role in the Philippines tourism industry’s contribution to GDP and employment. 

The report also highlighted the powerful multiplier effect Airbnb guest spending has within local communities. In 2022*, Airbnb guests spent a total of USD$876 million (47.7 million pesos) in the Philippines in areas like purchases in restaurants, retail stores, and on transportation.

It details the contribution made by Airbnb guests to domestic tourism across the nation. In 2022*, domestic Airbnb guest spending totalled USD$445 million (24.2 million pesos). 

The report also explores two profound changes in travel behaviour since the pandemic: the dispersal of tourism away from urban areas, and long-term stays driven by the emergence of flexible work arrangements.

James Lambert, Director for Economic Consulting in Asia for Oxford Economics said, Airbnb has clearly played a major role in the resilience and rebirth of the Philippines travel and tourism sector in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Airbnb has been at the heart of some of the trends reshaping the nation’s travel and tourism industry, including the shift in travel away from cities and towards more rural communities, and the increase in demand for long-stay trips, exemplified by the live and work anywhere phenomenon", Lambert said.

Amanpreet Singh Bajaj, Airbnb’s General Manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan said, “The economic contribution to both GDP and jobs driven by travel on Airbnb in the Philippines has created powerful economic ripple effects that have enabled the growth of local businesses, such as shops, restaurants, bars, and cafes — which are often central to how travellers experience a destination — and created job opportunities for the locals.” 

“The growth of the long-term stays segment since 2020 — enabled by flexible work policies and supported by Airbnb’s Live and Work Anywhere program — is helping destinations attract guests who stay longer and spend more per trip.

“Travel is now more dispersed, and so the economic benefits are being shared across more destinations, enabling a valuable economic contribution to rural and regional areas. This dispersal is being driven by Hosts on Airbnb and in turn creating economic opportunities for various communities. 

“As destinations across the Philippines continue to recover, we are committed to partnering with governments and communities to rebuild their tourism economies in a way that is equitable, inclusive, and sustainable.”

*This report presents results for the twelve month period up to and including March 2023, referred to as 2022*, which represents the first full year after the reopening of international travel. Prevailing exchange rates at the time of study were applied, using proprietary data from Oxford Economics.

FPG Insurance Launches New Insurance Products for Bikers and Cyclists

FPG Insurance is rolling out two new group insurance plans that provide coverage to users of bicycles and motorcycles.

 

The plans, named MyCyclingClub Mate for cyclists and MyMotoClub Mate for bikers, were designed primarily to promote road safety awareness. As insurance instruments, both plans cover accidental death, permanent disability, medical reimbursement and third-party liability, among other benefits, after an accident when using a motorcycle or bicycle.

Sensible Innovation  

 

FPG’s new insurance plans are a timely response to the surge in the popularity of cycling and biking since the pandemic began, with more people now turning to these modes of conveyance as an alternative way to move faster from point A to point B for work, for business, for adventure and solo sojourns.   

 

Unfortunately, the rising number of bicycles and motorcycles on the road comes with higher risks of accidents. Statistically, as they grew in number so did a notable increase in road crashes involving them.  

 

The resurgence of bicycles during the pandemic has been seen in places once dominated by private cars and public transportation. As proof, 2.1 million bikes were imported into the Philippines in 2020, up 112% from 2019. 

During the same period, the Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis System (MMARAS) reported that the number of bicycles involved in road accidents doubled from 2018 and 2019 to 2020. 

 

As for motorcycle and scooters, available data showed the Philippines posted the fastest growth at 32.3 percent to 867,453 units in 2021 from 655,440 units the previous year. According to the MMARAS report, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recorded a total of 26,768 motorcycles involved in road accidents in 2021 which was an increase of 1,560 from the previous year.  

 

Safe Travels 

MyCyclingClub Mate is a Group Personal Accident Insurance specifically designed for cyclists while MyMotoClub Mate is the counterpart Group Personal Accident Insurance for motorcycle riders.   

 

Each of these programs covers bodily injuries caused by an accident 24 hours a day, 365 days in a year, anywhere in the world, whether you’re at home or while travelling by land or sea or while riding as a passenger on commercial flights. It even provides for a victim of dog bites, snake bites, drowning and natural calamities.

Common provisions of the plans include: 

• Accidental Death - Pays up to the Sum insured in the event of death due to accident.  
• Disablement/Dismemberment - When injury does not result in loss of life of the Insured after the accident but results to losses of limbs, sight, ears, etc.   
• Unprovoked Murder and Assault Endorsement - Pays for death or permanent disablement sustained as a direct result of the insured being a victim of Unprovoked Murder or Assault  
• Accidental Medical Reimbursement - Pays for medical expenses incurred due to accidental bodily injury.  
• Daily Hospital Income Benefit (Due To Accident) - Pays for the daily allowance to the insured as a result of accident hospital confinement up to a maximum of 7 days  
• Fire Assistance Benefit - Pays for the loss and damages incurred to the Insured’s declared house residence or contents due to fire and lightning. 
• Personal liability plan - Pays for the insured for costs and expenses, which the insured may be obligated to pay for the damage to a property belonging to a third party because of negligence.

 

For an annual premium of Php 200, policyholders will get up to P100,000, to cover the cost of the insured’s accidental death. 

The target market is Bikers and Cyclist Associations with at least 20 members aged between 18-65 years old. The insured must declare their permanent residence address upon issuance.  

 

Ms. Sharon Navarro, FPG Insurance's Chief Underwriting Officer, said, "At FPG Insurance, we are committed to providing innovative insurance solutions that cater to the evolving needs of our customers. Our MyCyclingClub Mate and MyMotoClub Mate aim to promote road safety for cyclists and bikers who ride in groups as our latest plans offer comprehensive coverage that gives them peace of mind while they’re on the road."

June is a special month for FPG Insurance as they celebrate their 65th anniversary on June 5, with a special collaboration with Ayala for the Green Run marathon on June 25.

 

For more information about MyCyclingClub Mate and MyMotoClub Mate, visit FPG Insurance’s website at  https://www.fpgins.com.

#StayForSummer for only Php 2,023 per night at these celebrity homes, exclusively on Airbnb

Thinking of where to stay on your next vacaction? 

Return of travel in Southeast Asia presents big opportunities for local tourism

New data from Airbnb shows the return and evolution of travel in Southeast Asia is presenting fresh opportunities for communities across the region. Nights booked across Southeast Asia on Airbnb doubled in 2022, up from 2020, according to new internal data from the platform. This is an encouraging sign of ongoing recovery in the region, as travel continues to climb back to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Photo by Erik Karits

Thailand was the #1 most visited country on Airbnb in Southeast Asia in 20221, while top cities in the region included:

• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Bangkok, Thailand
• Pattaya, Thailand
• Chiang Mai, Thailand
• Phuket, Thailand

The United States also ranked as the #1 country of origin for international Airbnb guests visiting Southeast Asia in 2022, followed by Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany and South Korea1.

Intra-Southeast Asia travel remained popular with avid travelers visiting neighboring countries close by. Notably, Singaporeans flocked to Airbnb to book their getaways, with Singapore-Malaysia emerging as the top intra-Southeast Asia travel route on Airbnb, followed by Singapore-Thailand and Singapore-Indonesia.

Nathan Blecharczyk, Airbnb’s co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, said: “We’re incredibly excited about the travel resurgence currently taking place across Southeast Asia - a region that has always been a popular for travelers the world over, with its tropical climate, delicious local cuisines, spectacular scenery and rich cultural heritage. Airbnb is committed to partnering with local governments and communities to support the region’s travel renaissance in a way that allows local people to access the socio-economic benefits of travel. We’re also focused on relentlessly innovating to help disperse travel and encourage it to  return in a way that’s responsible, creates human connection and  is economically empowering for locals.”

Airbnb is continually innovating to help disperse travel beyond familiar destinations, so that more communities can benefit from the socio-economic opportunities that tourism offers. Airbnb’s flexible search tools, such as Flexible Dates, are already making a difference on this front, with guests booking through a Flexible Date search on the platform in key cities including Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Metro Manila often more likely to book a stay outside popular areas in the city1.

Shifting travel trends across the region

• Group travel is gaining momentum - With a big focus from many travelers on connecting, and reconnecting, with loved ones, group travel in Southeast Asia more than tripled year-on-year in 20221. This comes as family travel on the platform increased 60 percent in 2022 globally compared to pre-pandemic, with more families booking Airbnb stays for their value and space.2
• Solo travel is on the rise - Solo travel in the region also grew by more than 2.6x, up from the year prior1.
• Travelers are staying for longer -  Many travelers across Southeast Asia are staying for longer and more deeply engaging with local communities. In 2022,  long term stays of over 28 days in the region grew by more than 2.5x year-on-year1.

Regional and domestic travel is back, in a big way

In a new YouGov survey commissioned by Airbnb, data indicated that:

• 87 percent of Filipinos polled are optimistic about the travel rebound in Southeast Asia.
• 94 percent believe it will benefit local communities and the broader national economy.
• A third say they are excited to travel within Southeast Asia more frequently in future, after not being able to for so long, and more than 40 percent are looking to spend more on traveling throughout the region

The new YouGov survey also highlighted that over 60 percent of Filipinos surveyed said there is a need to ensure it is easy and affordable for travelers to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations in their country so that communities don't miss out on tourism spending. The survey also revealed that Filipinos believe there is a need for:

• Accommodation options and tourism offerings that encourage longer stays
• A wide range of unique, value for money stays to attract travelers and differentiate their destinations
• Support for local tourism entrepreneurs

When asked what they believe added to the appeal of local destinations for international travelers, the top factor for Filipinos was hospitable locals who are willing to make guests feel welcome and point out hidden gems. More than half also identified other factors including:

• An emphasis on local food and culture
• Accommodation with family-friendly amenities
• Availability of accommodation options at every price point

Ahead of major holidays and festivals throughout the region, there is strong travel momentum amongst Airbnb guests to travel within Southeast Asia. Guest searches for the March-April summer travel season in the Philippines surged almost 400 percent and guest searches for Songkran in Thailand increased more than 310 percent year-on-year. This Ramadan, guest searches increased almost 600 percent in Malaysia, and over 500 percent  in Indonesia.

Where to travel in 2023: Airbnb reveals the hottest destinations for Filipinos this year

Where to travel next this 2023? Airbnb shares awesome travel in destinations for 2013. No need to travel abroad, as the best places are already here in the Philippines. This can be a year of travel and staycation for the entire family or group of friends to enjoy the hottest destinations while staying in the Philippines' wonderful locations. Which travel destination should we try first?

Airbnb reveals 2022 top destinations for Filipinos and next year’s travel trends

Airbnb lists down  Filipinos' 2022 top destinations and the upcoming travel trends for 2023.

• This year, Filipino travelers sought out Airbnb Stays in Tropical, Amazing Pools and Nature Parks categories 

• Looking ahead to 2023, Filipinos are planning trips to domestic spots including Cebu City, El Nido and Baguio; and international destinations including Singapore and Australia 

This December, Airbnb is wrapping up the year with a bow by revealing its top destinations and Airbnb Categories of stays in 2022, and providing a sneak peek at what 2023 has in store.

In 2022, Pinoy guests on Airbnb found themselves most enjoying a tropical getaway, or relaxing by the poolside. The Tropical and Amazing Pools Categories of stays ranked top in terms of Filipinos’ most-booked homes, with outdoor categories including National Parks, Golf, Lake Houses, Beachfront and Surfing just close behind.* 

2022 saw an unprecedented eagerness to travel, particularly as borders across the world began to reopen. Notably, the Philippines welcomed a significant influx of inbound tourists on Airbnb this year with Singaporeans topping the list. Latest data revealed that the top origin cities of guests visiting the Philippines in 2022 are Singapore, Seoul, Los Angeles, London and Sydney.**

Looking ahead to 2023, Pinoys are definitely hoping to put their passports to good use. According to Airbnb data, the top trending travel spots for international travel in 2023 among Filipino guests are Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea. 

Still, domestic destinations also remain top of mind for Filipinos, with top trending domestic destinations in 2023 being Cebu City and Lapu Lapu City in Cebu, El Nido and Coron in Palawan, Baguio in the north, and Pasay and Mandaluyong in Metro Manila.***

As the holiday season rolls around, this presents a unique opportunity for Filipinos to take advantage of the travel surge and earn some additional income, and perhaps even pay for a trip to a trending destination. 

Earlier this month, Airbnb made it even easier to Airbnb one’s home through its new Airbnb Setup featuring one-to-one guidance from an Airbnb Superhost, the opportunity to host an experienced guest as one’s first guest, as well as one-tap access to specially-trained Community support agents. Together with even more AirCover for Hosts, with tripled damage protection to USD3 million and expanded guest identity verification, among other top protections for both inside and outside your home, there’s no better time to become an Airbnb Host and share one’s home for the holidays.

All bookings included in this press release are intended to inspire and illustrate. Airbnb does not endorse or promote these listings or any other accommodations or experiences on the platform.

*Top Categories of 2022 (PH) nights booked by PH guests in any destination with check-in dates from May 11, 2022 thru September 30, 2022

**Top origin cities, states and countries, by nights stayed for PH travel by international guest with travel stays between January, 1 2022 thru September 30, 2022

***Top trending travel spots for 2023 travel by Filipinos, based on searches made in Q1-Q3 2022 for future 2023 check-ins

Hosting on Airbnb gains momentum in the Philippines amidst growing appetite for travel

• New Airbnb survey shows that over half of all FIlipinos polled are interested in becoming Airbnb Hosts to take advantage of the new appetite for travel
• Filipinos are embracing flexible travel, with 65 percent saying they are now more flexible with their holiday type and travel dates

As the holiday season awaits and the travel rebound continues to unfold, more Filipino travelers are embracing flexible travel while more homeowners turn to hosting on Airbnb for additional income. A new survey commissioned by Airbnb* reveals that over half of Filipinos polled expressed interest in becoming Airbnb Hosts to take advantage of the new appetite for travel.

Around the world, Airbnb has seen strong growth rates of  new Hosts, especially in countries with high inflation rates. Notably, 77 percent of Filipinos polled said they were looking for ways to offset rising costs of living. The survey also shows that desire for travel remains high, with over a quarter of respondents saying that they will continue to find ways to travel even if general costs of living rise. 

In a trend that started since the pandemic, millions are now enjoying their newfound freedom to live and work anywhere. Notably, 65 percent of Filipinos polled said that they are now more flexible in terms of their type of holidays and time of travel. Notably, of those who plan to travel within the next year, 1 in 4 Filipinos said they plan to travel without set dates.

This new approach to travel and living continues to shape the choice of accommodation among Filipino travellers. When asked about factors that influence when and how they travel:

• Almost half indicated they are likely to travel if they can find accommodation that makes longer stays easy and comfortable
• 35% pointed to destinations offering unique styles of accommodations
• 25% prioritised access to amenities that make it easy to combine remote work with travel, such as a dedicated workspace and a fast, reliable internet connection

This growing appetite for travel among Filipinos puts homeowners in a unique position to take advantage of the Airbnb Setup, the all-new easy way to Airbnb one’s home which was announced early this month. In Q3, Pasay ranked as the #1 trending domestic destination for Filipino guests on Airbnb, followed by El Nido, Cebu City, Paranaque, and Iloilo City.**

Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb’s General Manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan, said the fundamental shifts towards long-term stays and flexible travel point to the increasingly important role that short-term accommodations (STRA) like Airbnb play in the new era of travel. 

“This growing appetite for travel is a positive sign as tourism recovery gathers pace. More keenly, this is an opportune moment for aspiring Filipino entrepreneurs to Airbnb their homes and earn additional income to mitigate rising living costs or support their travels,” he added.

* Online survey of 1063 respondents in the Philippines commissioned by Airbnb and conducted by YouGov between 6-12 October 2022

**  Based on increase in searches of destinations (minimum 1,000)  in Q3 2021

5 Must-visit Destinations in Cavite, Besides Tagaytay

A trip to the south usually involves seeing pine trees and admiring the breathtaking views at Tagaytay. The Second Summer Capital houses many tourist destinations and hosts various activities that you will surely enjoy, whether you are traveling alone or with company.

Join the Virtual PHITEX 2020 for Free this September, themed Business Unusual

TPB’s Phitex goes Virtual this September 22-24 promoting Panglao Island in Bohol

Celebrate Manila tourism in these unique coffee and culture spots

The ‘ber months may have already rolled in and people may already be psyching up for the holidays, but what comes as even timelier is the recent World Tourism Day! 

Southeast Asia startup RedDoorz raises USD $115 Mn

RedDoorz, Southeast Asia’s largest and fastest-growing hotel management and booking platform, announced today it raised US$70 million as first close of a larger Series C funding.  The Philippines is one of the fastest growing countries for RedDoorz. Local operations have expanded to 150+ hotels in more than 10 cities since its launch in 2018.

Hospitality startup RedDoorz raises US$45 million to cement its leadership position in Southeast Asia

RedDoorz, Southeast Asia’s largest and fastest-growing hotel management and booking platform, announced today the successful fundraise of US$45 million in a Series B round.

Reddoorz makes traveling fun, easy and oh-so-affordable

Looking for your next staycation need its just out of town or out of the country? This  hotel management and booking platform app can help you find the best place to stay