Cheap Domestic Flights Needed as Philippines Ranks Last in Southeast Asia Tourism

Senator Erwin Tulfo is once again calling out the sky-high cost of domestic flights. During the Senate debates on the 2026 tourism budget, he said Filipinos are flying abroad because it is actually cheaper than exploring our own islands.

“Our people would rather go to Hong Kong or Taiwan because a one-way ticket to Batanes or a one-way ticket to Tawi-Tawi is more expensive than a round-trip ticket to Hong Kong,” he said.

That comment came after he pointed out that the Philippines ranked last in Southeast Asia for international tourist arrivals from January to August 2025. Based on seasia.stats data, Malaysia had 28.24 million visitors, Thailand had 21.88 million, Vietnam had 12.9 million, Singapore had 11.6 million, Indonesia had 10.04 million, and the Philippines had 3.96 million. Yes, dead last.

Tulfo said expensive airfare is stopping both foreigners and locals from discovering more of the Philippines.“This is the major hindrance to boosting local tourism the skyrocketing ticket prices. We have beautiful beaches in Basilan, and beautiful beaches in Jolo, Tawi-Tawi, and other parts of the country. We have beautiful scenery in Batanes. Unfortunately, it is too pricey,” he added.

He also pushed for more direct flights to the provinces and highlighted underrated destinations like Marinduque as places that deserve more attention.

Also read: ₱22,000 Just to See Siargao? PAL’s “Discounted” Flights Spark Backlash

PH Ranks Last in Southeast Asia Tourism

Image credit: Canva Pro | Batanes, Philippines

The Philippines is not just behind in tourist arrivals. It also gets the lowest return on tourism investments in Southeast Asia. A 2025 study by Eric Jurado used Return on Tourism Impact (RoTI) to measure how much value a country earns for every peso or dollar spent on tourism. The Philippines scored 0.57, which means we only get back 57 cents for every peso invested. This is much lower than Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia.

High domestic flight prices make this worse. Tulfo says many Filipinos and tourists skip local trips because it is cheaper to fly abroad. Lower fares could help more people explore the Philippines and make tourism investments actually pay off.

What the DOT plans to do about high airfares

Image credit: Manila International Airport Authority

Senator Loren Legarda, who sponsored the 2026 tourism budget, noted that "[The DOT] recognizes that high airfares are the key deterrent to travel. They’re working closely with the Department of Transportation, the Civil Aeronautics Board, the DTI, and the PCC (Philippine Competition Commission) to address this."

She also added that "consultations are ongoing to finalize a code of conduct for online travel agencies to ensure transparency and fair pricing, aligned with the Internet Transactions Act."

If flight prices go down or at least become more transparent, Filipinos might explore local spots first before hopping on a plane out of the country. Cheaper domestic travel means more trips, more tourism income, and more love for local destinations.

Featured image credit: Erwin Tulfo Facebook