Filipinos values spending more quality time with loved ones this year

2021 is going to be a year focusing on loved ones and making a difference. This was a key finding of a recent global survey commissioned by digital travel platform Agoda.com called What Matters 2021.

Filipinos are highly aligned with this global sentiment as Pinoy respondents are most looking forward to spending more quality time with loved ones this year (27%), followed by doing things that matter or make a difference (23%) and being able to travel unhindered (22%).

Being in one of the longest lockdowns globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipinos are eager to travel in groups when it’s safe to do so. Close to half of Filipino respondents (42%) are likely to commit to a trip with friends and family when travelling in 2021.

Pinoys are also looking to lessen their carbon footprint when they finally go for that adventure. 23% of Filipino respondents said they will make more eco-friendly travel choices this year.

A different motivation for travel and leisure in 2021

What Matters 2021 surveyed over 16,000 respondents from 13 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America. Across the globe, the thirst for travel once restrictions ease remains unquenched.

However, people are now motivated by far different reasons. When asked what they most look forward to in 2021, one in three people want to spend more quality time with loved ones. Travelling unhindered (24%) was the second top answer globally, while doing things that matter or make a difference (21%) rounds out the top three responses worldwide.

Travel has gone beyond solo adventures and highly-planned itineraries, too. The top three commitments people are making globally when it comes to travel in 2021 are: Planning more journeys with friends and family, taking more spontaneous trips, and making more eco-friendly travel choices.

“2020 was a year of survival and of making the best of it. Despite all that struggle and hardship, our research shows that there’s a global desire for travel, connection, meaning and spending time with friends and family. Travel will resume eventually, because, ultimately, the human desire to travel is unstoppable,” said Tim Hughes, vice president of Corporate Development, Agoda.

“At Agoda, we believe in the future of travel. Our research backs this up, confirming that travel is one of the top things people look forward to in 2021. More than that – people are committed to making a difference, travelling with people who matter, open to more unplanned, last-minute trips, and considering the environmental impact they make as they travel.”