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| (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/Google Philippines) |
Google has compiled the top ten destinations that travelers in the Philippines are heading to based on Google Flights. Having the highest query volume for the months of June to August 2024, these include Manila, Caticlan, Tokyo, Cebu, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Taipei, Seoul and Del Carmen in Surigao del Norte. On the other hand, Google reveals from its data aggregated by Google Trends that the huge craze for homegrown P-Pop girl group BINI recently reached a new peak as the Filipinos' most searched on YouTube for the month of 2024 over popular foreign artists such as Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter.
The Philippines is indeed BLOOMing as the Nation's Girl Group dominated YouTube in the Philippines throughout the entire month as a search term, ranking highest in the Calabarzon, Bicol, MIMAROPA, and Central Luzon regions, scoring around 80 in overall search interest. Metro Manila came in at fifth place with a search interest percentage of 78. BINI also gained momentum around the world, being more searched than artists such as Sabrina Carpenter and Beyonce on YouTube for most of the month. Aside from the Philippines, the group was also more popular in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — around 700,000 Filipinos are part of the country’s population, more than half of which are in Dubai alone. The interest over time percentage refers to the dominance of a specific search term compared to others at a specified time and place. This means that “BINI” as a search term truly dominated all other keywords in these areas. The number properly contextualizes the sheer amount of search data on Google with particular times and locations. This trend follows the massive success and virality of BINI’s two recent singles “Pantropiko” and “Salamin Salamin", which became major hits over the summer, ahead of their upcoming concerts and participation in various events in and out of the country. The sheer popularity of the songs served as BINI’s real breakout moment around three years after their official debut, catapulting them into superstardom.
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| (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/Google Philippines) |
Meanwhile, Pinoy travelers are rewriting the rulebook on holiday adventures this year. Google Search trends reveal a fascinating evolution in how Filipino travelers are exploring the world with an intriguingly riveting focus on experiences that nourish the soul, indulge the senses, and leave a lasting legacy. Here’s what’s making waves in 2024:
1. Immersive Cultural Experiences: Travelers are looking to build deeper connections with the destinations they visit, by seeking opportunities for more enriching cultural exchanges. Exploration of local cuisines is an emerging trend. Local food tours are popular in Asia-Pacific with 7 out of the top 10 countries coming from the region with the Philippines not far behind.
2. Nature-based travel and sustainability: Interest in tree planting and travel is booming globally — with the Philippines amongst the top 10 most-interested countries — which shows a desire to give back as part of people's stays.
3. AI upgrading travel: Travelers are turning to AI to help plan their trips and get help while they’re on-the-go. AI searches related to travel are also at a near all-time high globally and the same is true in the Philippines.
The shift toward more diverse tourism in the Philippines is likely fueled by factors like rising costs, a post-pandemic desire for authentic connection, and a growing awareness of sustainability. It will be fascinating to see how these trends evolve, but it’s great to see Filipinos exploring new ways of traveling and Google, without question, has legitimately relevant data to prove it.
