Cebu emerges as top summer destination

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu emerged as the number one destination among domestic travelers for the summer season of 2023.

According to AirAsia Philippines, Cebu leads in the top five most booked destinations for Filipinos in this year’s summer season, along with Boracay, Tacloban, Iloilo, and Bohol.

Meanwhile, Filipino’s top favorite international destinations include Taipei, Incheon, Bangkok, Narita, and Osaka.

AirAsia Philippines has recorded a surge in summer bookings for 2023 achieving 75 percent of its pre-pandemic (2019) levels, encompassing both domestic and international travel.

“The surge in bookings this summer reflects a strong rebound in travel demand. We are thrilled to witness such enthusiasm from travelers, with reservations reaching unprecedented levels,” said AirAsia Philippines Communications and Public Affairs Country Head Steve Dailisan.

According to Dailisan, the airline attributed this “overwhelming development” to the continuous opening of international destinations, added flight frequencies, and the Filipino’s strong appetite for travel.

“AirAsia Philippines is committed to providing exceptional service and ensuring a safe and enjoyable journey for all our guests.” he continued.

AirAsia noted that a high volume of the seats booked for summer was coursed online, either via the airasia Super App or AirAsia website, showing the Filipinos' high preference for online platforms.

Tagged as the world’s best low-cost airline, AirAsia also noticed that group bookings have also started to pick up after recording a more than 140 percent increase in bookings for the months of March to May.

“This only manifests that aside from solo travels, Filipino travelers are now keen on revisiting their sidelined travel buckets and excited to experience each destination’s cuisine, culture, and traditions along with their family, friends, and colleagues”, Dailisan added.

To entice more guests to travel and make the last summer hurrah, the world’s best low-cost airline is bringing the second leg of the AirAsia Fly Fest to the Queen City of the South on May 27-28. Happening at the Ayala Center Terraces, the two-day event will not only offer bang-buck deals for flights, destinations, and activities but will also offer visa services.

AirAsia Philippines is capitalizing on Cebu as one of the alternatives to the Manila International Airport, especially with the mounting of more international flights to Narita, Osaka, Narita, Seoul, Kaohsiung, Kuala Lumpur, and Shenzhen. 

“We would like our guests, solo and group travelers alike, especially those coming from Central Visayas to familiarize themselves with our flights from Mactan-Cebu International Airport as this will not only save more travel time but will also foster inclusive growth within the region”, Dailisan concluded.