Hotel bookings from overseas saw an increase in the Philippines in 2023, according to a report on hotel booking trends by hotel channel manager SiteMinder. The report, called Hotel Booking Trends, analyzed bookings made by travelers for hotels in 20 of the world’s most established destinations.
The report, released in February, revealed that the Philippines recorded more than 115 million hotel bookings, with overseas travelers making up 67% of the total volume of arrivals in the country in 2023. This marked a 33% increase from the previous year, in line with the global average.
The Philippines also experienced growth in hotel arrivals from key markets such as the United States, Australia, and South Korea, aligning with the top tourism sources reported by the Department of Tourism.
In 2023, the Department of Tourism reported over five million international visitors to the Philippines. Of these, 91.88% were foreign tourists, while 8.12% were overseas Filipino workers. South Korea ranked as the top source market, followed by the United States and Australia.
SiteMinder’s report also listed the top 12 booking sources for hotels in the Philippines based on the total gross revenue generated through the platform in the previous year. The list included popular platforms such as Booking.com, Agoda, and Expedia Group.
The report from SiteMinder highlighted key changes in the hotel industry, including a growing trend of travelers booking in advance with a lead time of 19 to 29 days and decreased cancellation rates approaching pre-pandemic levels.
SiteMinder’s chief growth officer, Trent Innes, emphasized the need for dynamic strategies in the hotel industry to adapt to evolving traveler behavior. He mentioned the return of Chinese travelers and the importance of revising marketing strategies to attract travelers from emerging markets like India, Japan, and South Korea.
Innes pointed out that travelers are booking further ahead than before and are willing to spend more beyond room costs, urging hoteliers to be agile in their business approach to seize revenue opportunities at every customer touchpoint.
