By Brian Jules Campued
The province of Bohol was hailed as the top destination in the Philippines with significant gain in search popularity, according to digital travel platform Agoda.
In its first ever list of emerging destinations – aptly called the “Philippines’ New Horizons” – Agoda revealed that Bohol led the pack with a 72% increase in searches, followed by Siargao Island (32%), and Davao City (23%).
Agoda cited Bohol’s – also named as the country’s first Global Geopark by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – popular tourist attraction, the Chocolate Hills, as well as its multitude of “tranquil beaches, beautiful diving spots, and rainforests.”
Meanwhile, the travel website also noted Siargao Island’s charm to people who prefer the quietude its beaches provide over the bustle of cities especially to those who do remote jobs.
Agoda described Davao City’s various tourist spots from the hilly terrains of Eden Nature Park to beach destinations such as Dahican and Kaputian beaches.
Rounding out the top five were the Iloilo province – of which, its capital’s recognition as a Creative City of Gastronomy by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network continues to invite more foodie travelers – and the province of Cagayan de Oro.
The online travel agency curated the list by comparing the year-on-year search data of such travel sites and highlighting those that have garnered a significant growth in interest from domestic and international travelers.
“While the Philippines’ well-loved destinations continue to attract their fair share of travelers, we have seen spikes in searches in lesser known tourist destinations as people expand their horizons and more people are [exploring] these locales,” Agoda’s Associate Vice President Enric Casals said in a statement. – avds