TRAVEL PREFERENCES OF BALIWAGEÑOS

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the travel preferences of Baliwageños. Descriptive type of research was used in this study. Through convenience sampling, one hundred (100) residents of Baliwag from Barangays Concepcion, Sabang, Tangos, San Jose, and Tibag were chosen as respondents of the study. Interview and survey questionnaire were used as research instruments. Results of the study showed that domestic/local was the preferred destination of more than half of the respondents wherein some of them have already visited some of the popular destinations in the Philippines. Leisure followed by meeting friends and relatives were the reasons for traveling by majority of the respondents with more than half of them having travelled once or twice a year. The family ranked one as the preferred companion of almost half of the respondents. Visiting resorts and hotels were the most preferred tourist destinations by almost half of the respondents. Based on the results of the study, the respondents considered price, attractions, opportunity for rest, cleanliness and orderliness, personal safety and security, activities and variety of local foods as important factors/ considerations in choosing a tourist destination. The conducted research recommends that hotel and resort owners here in the Philippines should continuously upgrade their facilities and 49 services in order to attract more guests locally and internationally. In addition, security and safety of the guests must always be the priority of the tourists’ destinations especially in resorts, hotels and event attraction.

Keywords: travel preferences, Baliwageños, tourist destination