Ep 167: The Travel Fun is Back in the Philippines, with Feliz Axalan, Tradewings

“The fun is back in the Philippines… even more so!” It’s almost a year since the Philippines reopened its borders after the pandemic. Inbound, outbound and domestic travel volumes are expanding fast. To gain a clearer picture of the travel recovery in South East Asia’s second-largest nation, Gary chats with Manila-based Feliz Axalan, General Manager of Tradewings Tours & Travel.

We discuss the hot destinations for Philippine outbound travellers (spoiler alert: Japan yes, South Korea no) and some intriguing booking trends, visa issues and FIT vs Group Tour shifts in recent months.

Feliz reveals the staycation, surfing and cycle trip hotspots for domestic travel, which the Department of Tourism expects to fully recover to the 2019 level this year.

For inbound travel, we look at improvements in airport infrastructure and flight access. Feliz provides insider insights about boutique hotel, villa and Airbnb bookings, and the locations travel influencers are promoting on social media.

Plus, as an archipelago nation, the Philippines has big cruise travel ambitions. How will this play out in 2023 and beyond?