MANILA – TV host Bianca Gonzalez has joined calls for more affordable airfares to domestic tourist destinations after noting that flights within the Philippines can be costlier than trips to neighboring ASEAN countries.

Gonzalez retweeted former Comelec commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal, who questioned why it is often cheaper for Filipinos to fly to places like Hong Kong, Singapore, or other ASEAN destinations than to domestic tourist spots.

“How can you convince Filipinos to travel to other parts of the Philippines, when it’s cheaper to fly to Hong Kong, Singapore or other ASEAN destinations than it is to fly to some tourist destinations in the Philippines?” Larrazabal posted on X on January 23.

Gonzalez agreed, sharing her experience of booking a trip to Siargao, which turned out to be more expensive than trips to Hong Kong, Vietnam, or Bangkok. “Mas mahirap suportahan ang lokal na turismo dahil ang mahal,” she said.

A search on a popular local airline showed one-way fares to Siargao ranging from P8,000 to P10,000, making round-trip tickets approximately P18,000 and up. Travelers must also budget for lodging, transfers, transportation, meals, and environmental fees, further raising costs.

In comparison, a round-trip flight from Manila to Bangkok costs around P20,700, with the outbound leg at P13,000 and the return at P7,700, illustrating the pricing disparity that has travelers reconsidering domestic tourism.