Cebu In The Philippines’ Tourism Industry Faces Digital Transformation With Trip.com As Local Businesses Seize New Opportunities For Growth And Increased Visibility - Travel And Tour World (2025)

Saturday, April 12, 2025

Cebu in the Philippines embraces digital transformation with Trip.com, offering local businesses new opportunities for growth, visibility, and access to global travelers.

Cebu’s tourism sector has continually evolved, adapting to shifts in both local and international trends. Known as a top destination for travelers, the industry has shown remarkable resilience, particularly during the pandemic, and is now navigating the ever-growing influence of technology on the travel experience. As platforms like Trip.com shape how trips are planned and booked, local businesses in Cebu, especially those in emerging tourism hubs, face a new opportunity to reach broader audiences—but only if they understand how digital platforms fit into the bigger picture.

For entrepreneurs in hospitality, tours, and food services, this shift presents an opportunity to tap into a larger market. However, it requires a deep understanding of how Trip.com operates within the broader digital travel ecosystem. The platform’s popularity in the Philippines has been fueled by its ability to align with Filipino travel habits, with domestic bookings remaining strong and Cebu consistently ranking as one of the top destinations. Filipino travelers are known for being event-driven, planning trips around concerts, festivals, and long weekends. Trip.com tailors its content and marketing to respond to these trends, offering local businesses an adaptive and responsive model—if they can plug into it.

One notable feature is Trip.Best, a curated ranking system driven by AI and user reviews. Inclusion in this ranking can increase visibility for local businesses, but it raises concerns around discoverability, particularly for smaller enterprises that may not be familiar with the platform’s criteria. The review system is limited to verified guests, which provides a layer of protection for businesses against false claims, but it also emphasizes the importance of maintaining high service standards to stay competitive.

Trip.com also distinguishes itself with a merchant-friendly approach, which could appeal to Cebu’s diverse tourism players. All bookings made through the platform are handled via a centralized system that includes protections for disputes and chargebacks. This could be a significant advantage over other online travel agencies (OTAs) that offer minimal post-transaction support. However, for this model to truly benefit local businesses, stakeholders will need to closely examine the fine print of these protections.

The platform’s partnership with developers like Megaworld signals a long-term investment strategy in the Philippines’ tourism sector. With Cebu hotels included in Trip.com’s promotional efforts, other elements of the tourism ecosystem—from local restaurants to transport services—may also see benefits. However, it remains to be seen whether smaller businesses, especially micro and small enterprises, will experience a direct impact from this initiative.

Trip.com’s commitment to technology is evident with its features like TripGenie, an AI-powered assistant that offers real-time recommendations, booking modifications, and personalized assistance. While impressive, the effectiveness of these tools in engaging local tourism businesses will depend on how well they integrate local travel nuances. Larger operations may benefit immediately, but smaller businesses could need additional guidance to fully leverage these advancements.

In the end, Trip.com appears to be responsive to the evolving needs of its users, particularly in an event-driven market like the Philippines. For tourism entrepreneurs, this responsiveness presents an opportunity to tap into growing demand. However, for this transformation to be truly beneficial, local businesses need to be involved in the planning process, not just treated as backend vendors. As Cebu’s tourism sector rebounds, platforms like Trip.com will play a key role—but local businesses must proactively engage to turn these digital opportunities into lasting visibility and success.