After almost a year of restricted travel, travelers globally are indulging in more upscale stays this New Year’s Eve. According to booking data from digital travel platform Agoda.com, 4 to 5-star hotels are the accommodation of choice to ring in 2021 globally, pushing 1 to 3.5-star hotels down to second place this year, as compared to New Year’s Eve 2019.
With the exception of Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States (US) which favored 1 to 3.5-star hotels as their preference, travelers from other countries including the Philippines are aligned with the global trend. Korean and Singaporean travelers meanwhile, have maintained their desire for 4 to 5-star hotels as the top choice this New Year’s Eve.
New Year’s Eve celebrations in the Philippines
Compared to 2019, Pinoy travelers are indulging in upscale stays in 4 to 5-star hotels as their preference this year, nudging budget 1 to 3.5-stars hotels to the second spot. Filipinos are also exploring destinations that are “outdoorsy” for a quick respite. Famous for its lakes and beautiful mountains, Laguna made it to the top 10 domestic list this year along with Batangas–a province full of beach spots.
Top 10 Domestic Destinations
| New Year’s Eve 2019 | New Year’s Eve 2020 | |
| 1 | Manila | Manila |
| 2 | Cebu | Cebu |
| 3 | Tagaytay | Tagaytay |
| 4 | Baguio | Subic (Zambales) |
| 5 | Angeles/Clark | Boracay Island |
| 6 | Palawan | Baguio |
| 7 | Boracay Island | Laguna |
| 8 | Davao City | Angeles/Clark |
| 9 | Subic (Zambales) | Batangas |
| 10 | Iloilo | Iloilo |
Exploring the world nearby
Globally, travelers, like Filipinos, are looking at quick getaways—exploring more diverse domestic destinations this year compared to 2019. Beach destinations and coastal cities like Miami Beach (US), Langkawi (Malaysia), Quy Nhon (Vietnam), Yeosu-si (Korea), as well as places known for their natural beauty such as Cameron Highlands (Malaysia), Hua Lien (Taiwan), Laguna (Philippines), and Sapa (Vietnam) climbed the ranks to top 10 domestic destinations in respective markets for staycations this New Year’s Eve.
“While 2020 might have upended many travelers’ plans, Agoda’s data that upscale stays in 4 to 5-star hotels are most popular among New Year’s Eve bookings this year shows us that there’s a great desire among travelers to pamper themselves and optimistically usher in the New Year in style. We are heartened that travelers are not letting the pandemic dampen their travel spirits, and are also spending the New Year exploring domestic destinations less traveled, supporting local tourism communities in those areas,” said Errol Cooke, vice president of partner services at Agoda.