The National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) renewed the clearance of the Household Survey on Domestic Visitors (HSDV) on September 9, 2010 under its Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System (SSRCS).  The survey is being conducted this October by the National Statistics Office (NSO) in collaboration with the Department of Tourism (DOT) with the following objectives: (1) provide baseline data to measure the volume of domestic tourism; (2) determine the profile and travel characteristics of domestic visitors; (3) identify the travel patterns of the Filipino households; and (4) estimate the extent and economic contribution of domestic tourism in the country.

The 2010 HSDV is a rider to the fourth quarter round of the Labor Force Survey (LFS) to be conducted on October 8-31, 2010.  The major data items to be collected from the survey include:  (1) demographic characteristics of household members; (2) information on visitors received by the household during the period April to September 2010; (3) details on the second home/vacation house owned by any member of the household; (4) details on the domestic trips during the period; (5) factors that influenced the trip and sources of information about the place visited; (6) places and attractions visited during the trip; (7) details of most recent domestic package tour and/or independent trips; (8) intention to travel within the next 12 months; and (9) reasons for not wanting to travel in the next 12 months.

Results of the 2005 HSDV revealed that 51.8 percent of the households received visitors during the period April to September 2005.  Ninety-nine percent of the visitors received by households are local residents and only 6.0 percent of the total number of households received payments from overnight guests.  There were more female domestic travellers (50.9 percent) than males and about 57.0 percent of the total number of domestic travellers were in the age group 15 to 34 years old.  On the average, independent travellers spent Php1,300 per trip, while package tour travellers spent Php1,000 per trip.  Most of the independent trip travellers (79.1 percent of the domestic travellers) stayed at relatives’ or friends’ places while three out of 10 package tour travellers stayed in resorts.  The main purpose of visit of 55.6 percent of the domestic travellers across age group and sex was to visit friends and relatives.  More females than males preferred to shop (15.1 percent compared to 10.7 percent), to relax (13.0 percent compared to 12.7 percent), to do sightseeing (10.4 percent compared to 9.1 percent) and to have beach holiday (4.0 percent compared to 3.6 percent).  On the other hand, more males than female travellers had business trips (7.9 percent compared to 4.7 percent).  Malls, parks, and churches/shrines/cathedrals were the top three attractions visited during the period. The most frequently visited places aside from the National Capital Region (NCR) were Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Iloilo and Bulacan.  April, May and December were the most preferred months of travel. 

The 2010 HSDV will cover 12,500 households in the Philippines.  A total of Php 9.9 million or Php 792 per household was allocated for the survey to cover personal services, travelling expenses, supplies and printing expenses. The results of the survey will be released in September 2011.

The SSRCS is a mechanism institutionalized by the NSCB through Memorandum Circular Nos. 4-88 and 04-95, which aims to: (1) ensure sound design for data collection; (2) minimize the burden placed upon respondents; (3) effect economy in statistical data collection; (4) achieve better coordination of government statistical activities; and (5) inform the private sector and the public in general that a government survey operation has passed clearance and enjoin their cooperation in the conduct of the survey.

ROMULO A. VIROLA
Secretary General

Contact Persons:

Gay B. Tejada / Patricia Anne L. Rivera
Tel. No.: 8909404/8952436
E-mail: mgb.tejada@nscb.gov.ph / pal.rivera@nscb.gov.ph