Klook, GCash team up on travel card amid upbeat travel outlook

TRAVEL AND LEISURE booking platform Klook said it expects continued momentum in the Philippine travel market, fueled by Filipinos’ rising appetite for domestic and overseas trips as well as growing inbound tourism.

“The numbers are great; we are very optimistic about the trajectory of travel despite the macroeconomic conditions,” Klook Philippines General Manager Michelle Ho told reporters on the sidelines of the GCash-Klook partnership launch on Monday.

Klook has partnered with electronic wallet provider GCash for the rollout of the GCash Klook Travel Card. Set to launch this month, the card will offer users exclusive perks, vouchers, and discounts.

The new product is expected to bring in more than 10,000 users, Ms. Ho said, noting that the company remains confident Filipinos will find value in the travel card. Powered by Visa, the card also upgrades users to the Gold Tier of Klook’s travel rewards program and provides low foreign exchange rates with zero service fees.

“With GCash, we’re taking that commitment a step further. By combining Klook’s expertise in curating top travel experiences with GCash’s trusted financial ecosystem, we’re bringing greater value and ease to every journey, making extraordinary adventures even more possible for more Filipinos,” Ms. Ho said.

Klook noted that the Philippines has become one of its strongest markets, both as a source of outbound travelers and as a destination for foreign tourists.

“For the Philippines, we are seeing high double-digit growth and just to give a few destinations we are seeing that Vietnam would be one of those destinations picking up (traffic) along with Thailand, and Taiwan,” she said, adding that Hong Kong and Japan remain top choices among Filipino travelers.

“At GCash, we’re committed to empowering Filipinos to explore the world with confidence and convenience,” said G-Xchange, Inc. General Manager for Business-to-Consumer and Chief Operating Officer Barbara Rodriguez-Dapul.

In May, Klook reported that 89% of Filipinos choose travel destinations based on social media popularity, exceeding the regional average of 79%.

Its 2025 Travel Pulse study, which surveyed 7,000 respondents, found that Filipinos use Facebook (84%) as their primary source of travel inspiration, followed by YouTube (73%), TikTok (69%), and Instagram (63%).

Philippine air passenger volume reached 46.84 million in the nine months ending September, up 6.247% from a year earlier, driven by domestic passenger traffic, according to the Civil Aviation Board.

Domestic passenger volume rose 5.36% to 24.95 million, while international passengers increased 7.25% to 21.89 million. — Ashley Erika O. Jose