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Passengers flock to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 in Pasay City on March 27, 2024. An influx of passengers is anticipated as many head to the provinces for the Holy Week weekend. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

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Holy Week Travel

Jekki Pascual

ABS-CBN News

MANILA – Travel groups on Monday said the Philippine tourism industry continues to face weaker bookings amid rising fuel prices triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.According to Philippine Travel Agencies Association, there was a decline in the number of hotel bookings, flight ticket purchase, and tour bookings in the past weeks. PTAA Chairperson for International Affairs Evangeline Tankiang-Manotok  said she fears that it may continue in the coming months if the conflict does not end. “There have been a few cancellations and bookings, probably, and onwards are pretty slim,” Tankiang-Manotok said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/5/7/philippine-tourism-faces-worst-shock-since-covid-as-flights-cut-costs-surge-1122">Philippine tourism faces worst shock since COVID as flights cut, costs surge—industry group</a></div>Tankiang-Manotok said the industry performed well in March due to advance bookings, but stakeholders began seeing a slowdown in April and May. This includes the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA), which said that bookings now are far less than the same period last year.“The hospitality sector remained under pressure due to the ongoing global fuel and energy crisis,” said HSMA Director for Membership Ma. Celeste Romualdo.One of the factors for this, Romualdo said, is that many conventions and meetings decided to cancel their events due to rising costs. This included government events, as well as corporate events.“Some of the meetings of the ASEAN face-to-face were canceled and also the corporate bookings are also doing cost-cutting,” Romualdo added.But travel groups remain optimistic of growth this year. Despite a lower number of bookings now, both the PTAA and HSMA said that they are looking at alternative destinations, believing that Filipinos would still want to travel.PTAA and HSMA are banking on domestic tourism as well as regional or ASEAN tourism which could be cheaper compared to countries that need a visa to enter. The groups also encourage staycations.Tankiang-Manotok said, “Instead of na mas malayo, mas malapit na lang- Asia region or local travel also or sometimes they can even take the boats.”Romualdo added, “Right now ang bumubuhay sa mga hotels are domestic markets. A lot of hotels are offering value packages.”The groups also said they will be offering affordable packages to entice more Filipinos to travel. PTAA will hold a Travel Tour Expo in Davao next month, while HSMA is already offering a summer online sale through its website with up to 70 percent discount for accommodation.

Travel groups on Monday said the Philippine tourism industry continues to face weaker bookings amid rising fuel prices triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Travel groups on Monday said the Philippine tourism industry continues to face weaker bookings amid rising fuel prices triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Fuel price hikes dampen travel bookings, tourism groups say

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Fuel price hikes dampen travel bookings, tourism groups say

Jekki Pascual,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 11, 2026 07:23 PM PHT

Read More:

ptaa

hsma

philippine tourism

travel

philippines

middle east conflict

oil price hike

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