Tokyo is most-searched holiday destination of Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines — Months before we flip the calendar to 2024, Filipinos are already planning their holiday vacations, according to search engine giant Google.

This year, Filipinos are raring to fly to Tokyo, Japan as their top year-end destination, according to Google Flights, an online flight booking search service.

According to Google Philippines' latest report, Japan has secured the top spot as the most-searched destination among travelers from the Philippines who are considering it as their ultimate choice.

Within Japan, it added that Tokyo is the top choice, while Osaka landed on the fifth spot of Filipino travelers’ list.

In May, Tokyo also emerged as the most-searched destination of Filipinos for the months of June and August.

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At that time, Japanese ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko expressed delight after learning that Filipinos are interested in his home country.

“Happy to find out that Filipino people are interested in Japan! Can’t wait for those clicks and searches turn into more Pinoy at our airports. Fancy a trip there this summer? Tara, punta tayo!” he tweeted last May 19.

Last month, the envoy reported that the Philippines was the top ASEAN country for tourist arrivals in Japan.

Japan recorded 51,700 Filipino visitors in July 2023, a 36% year-on-year increase from 37,771 in July 2019, the full year before the COVID-19 travel restrictions.

READ:‘Arigatou gozaimasu!’: Philippines is top ASEAN country for tourist arrivals in Japan for July 2023

Meanwhile, according to the data of Google Flights, Filipino tourists are mostly thinking of traveling within Asian countries by the year-end.

Filipinos also eye traveling to some of the top tourist destinations of the Philippines Boracay and Cebu with Caticlan and Kalibo, Aklan as well as Cebu making it to the most-searched year-end destination of Filipinos list.

Here are the top 10 holiday destinations Filipinos want to visit this year:

• Tokyo, Japan
• Singapore
• Hong Kong
• Caticlan
• Bangkok, Thailand
• Seoul, South Korea
• Kalibo
• Taipei, Taiwan