Senator Advocates for Affordable Domestic Flights to Support Tourism Growth in the Philippines, Get the Details Here

Published on December 7, 2025

The holiday travel season is approaching once again and demand for cheap domestic flights within the Philippines is on the increase. As the country is losing the opportunities for international tourism with neighboring Southeast Asian countries, Senator Erwin Tulfo is again calling for the Department of Tourism (DOT) to prioritize the reduction of ticket prices for flights within the Philippines.

Senator Tulfo’s statement comes at a time when the Philippines is having a hard time rocking its domestic tourism. High plane fares discourage international tourists and locals travelers as well. Tulfo also added that the domestic flights are even more expensive than the international flights making the Philippines a more costly tourist destination than the likes of Taiwan and Hong Kong.

High Airfares a Barrier to Domestic Tourism Growth

Tulfo’s statement during the Senate plenary debates for the 2026 DOT budget highlighted a key issue affecting domestic tourism: the prohibitive cost of air travel. According to the senator, a one-way ticket to destinations within the Philippines such as Batanes or Tawi-Tawi can be more expensive than a round-trip ticket to international destinations like Hong Kong. This price discrepancy creates a significant barrier for Filipinos who may prefer to explore local destinations but are deterred by the high cost of airfare.

Senator Loren Legarda, who sponsored the 2026 DOT budget, acknowledged that high airfares are a key challenge in boosting local tourism. She assured that the Department of Tourism, along with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), are actively working on initiatives to address these concerns and promote lower airfares for domestic flights.

The Need for Direct Flights and Promotion of Underrated Destinations

In addition to reducing airfares, Senator Tulfo suggested another potential solution to make domestic travel more accessible: the introduction of direct flights to provinces that are not currently well-served by airlines. Many destinations within the Philippines are only reachable via long and expensive connecting flights, which adds unnecessary costs and time to travel. By establishing more direct routes to key provinces, the government could make domestic travel more convenient and affordable for tourists.

Tulfo also recommended that the DOT focus on promoting underrated destinations that are not yet widely known but offer significant potential for tourism. Provinces like Marinduque, Basilan, Jolo, and Tawi-Tawi are home to beautiful natural landscapes, beaches, and cultural attractions that are often overlooked by both local and international tourists. By highlighting these destinations and making them more accessible through affordable flights, the government can help spread tourism beyond the country’s most visited spots and encourage sustainable development in less-explored areas.

Government Initiatives to Address Airfare Issues

Senator Legarda further emphasized that the DOT recognizes the importance of affordable airfares and is committed to working with various agencies to address the issue. She mentioned that the government is engaged in ongoing consultations to finalize a code of conduct for online travel agencies. This code aims to promote transparency and fair pricing in the travel industry, ensuring that consumers are not misled by deceptive pricing practices, particularly in light of the Internet Transactions Act, which aims to regulate online commerce.

In addition to this, Legarda highlighted the collaborative efforts between the DOTr, CAB, and other agencies to improve the regulatory environment for domestic flights. By streamlining processes and encouraging competition among airlines, the government aims to reduce airfares and make domestic travel more affordable for Filipino citizens.

Philippine Tourism Struggles to Compete with Regional Neighbors

The issue of high airfare prices is compounded by the Philippines’ relatively low standing in terms of international tourism arrivals. Based on travel data from January to August 2025 by Seasia Stats, the Philippines recorded only 3.96 million international tourist arrivals, a stark contrast to its Southeast Asian neighbors. Malaysia led the region with 28.24 million arrivals, followed by Thailand with 21.88 million, Vietnam at 12.9 million, Singapore at 11.6 million, and Indonesia with 10.04 million.

This disparity highlights the urgent need for the Philippines to address factors that limit its competitiveness as a tourism destination. High airfares are a major hindrance to increasing international tourist arrivals, as they discourage potential visitors from traveling to the Philippines in favor of destinations where flights are more affordable. Reducing domestic flight costs could not only improve the country’s standing in terms of international tourism but also stimulate local tourism by making it easier for Filipinos to explore their own country.

The Role of Affordable Airfare in Boosting Local Tourism

Lowering airfares for domestic flights is seen as a crucial step in unlocking the potential of the Philippine tourism sector. Tourism operators argue that affordable flights will lead to more domestic travel, benefiting local economies and reducing the concentration of tourists in a few well-known destinations like Boracay, Cebu, and Palawan. By making it easier for Filipinos to travel to less-visited provinces, the government can help foster more inclusive and sustainable tourism development across the country.

Moreover, cheaper domestic flights would help drive demand for ecotourism and cultural tourism, both of which are growing sectors within the Philippine tourism industry. Destinations like Batanes, Tawi-Tawi, and Marinduque offer unique cultural experiences and natural beauty that can attract tourists seeking alternatives to traditional beach destinations. By improving access to these lesser-known spots, the Philippines can diversify its tourism offerings and appeal to a broader range of travelers.

Looking Ahead: Collaborative Efforts for Sustainable Tourism Growth

The Philippines is addressing the impacts of the global pandemic, and one of the company’s policy tourism goals is the reduction of domestic airfare prices. This objective is made possible through the combined efforts of the Department of Tourism and the DOTr in conjunction with other agencies aimed at the decreasing of airline ticket prices through the promotion of competitive and equitable pricing policies. This tourism policy will enhance the ability of a larger segment of the population to travel within the Philippine Archipelago.

The statement of Senator Tulfo publicly reiterates the call for affordable domestic flight pricing to achieve a more competitive tourism market. This will support the growing travel and tourism сorridor of the Philippine economy and enhance the travel mobility of the domestic traveler. Improved pricing will stimulate the tourism mobility of the domestic traveler to the more remote and underserved regions of the country and enhance the positioning of the country as one of the leading travel destinations in Southeast Asia. The result will be a more sustainable tourism development in the country.