Visa-Free Access & AI Agents: Two Major Shifts Reshaping Travel in 2025

We’re unpacking two powerful developments reshaping tourism and travel tech: the Philippines’ new visa-free policy for Indian travellers and the rise of agentic AI that’s revolutionizing how bookings are made.

Philippines Targets Indian Outbound Boom with Visa-Free Access

In a move set to significantly boost inbound tourism, the Philippines has announced visa-free access for Indian travellers, joining the growing ranks of Southeast Asian nations tapping into India’s travel potential.

Indian citizens can now:

• Enter visa-free for up to 14 days, or

• Stay up to 30 days if they hold a valid visa from the U.S., U.K., Schengen Area, Canada, Australia, or Japan

This strategic shift comes as the Philippines works to diversify its tourism base, following a steep decline in Chinese arrivals. In 2024, the country welcomed just 300,000 Chinese tourists, well below the government’s 2 million target.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco announced the new visa policy at the Skift Asia Forum, highlighting India’s growing outbound travel as a key opportunity. She also hinted at plans for direct flight connections between the two countries—another potential demand accelerator.

📈 Why This Matters for STR Hosts

• Expect increased demand from Indian travellers, particularly for urban stays, group/family accommodations, and experience-rich properties

• Update your listings and marketing to be visible and appealing to Indian guests—think WhatsApp-friendly communication, flexible stay policies, and local food or culture integration

With India being one of the fastest-growing travel markets globally, Filipino STR operators and tourism brands that respond early will be best positioned to capture this new demand wave.

Travel Tech Enters the Age of Agentic AI

While the Philippines shifts gears on border policy, the tech side of travel is undergoing a transformation of its own. At a recent Phocuswright panel, execs from Kayak, Accor, and Bonafide unpacked what’s coming next: agentic AI—AI that doesn’t just personalize search results, but takes over the entire planning, selection, and booking journey.

We’re quickly moving beyond dropdown menus and filters. In the near future:

• Travellers will ask AI for what they want (“I need a quiet hotel near a park with vegan food nearby”)

• AI will scan thousands of attributes across listings, reviews, and supplier data

• And return tailored, bookable results in seconds—no more endless scrolling

But as the technology evolves, a new challenge is emerging: trust. Guests must believe that the AI truly understands their needs—and is acting in their best interest, not just optimizing for price or ad revenue.

🧠 The Implication for Travel Brands:

To stay visible in an AI-dominated discovery environment, suppliers must market to algorithms as much as to people.

That means:

• Ensuring your content is structured, machine-readable, and constantly updated

• Feeding platforms and metasearch tools with accurate product feeds, real-time availability, and detailed attributes

• Optimizing for not just SEO, but for AI visibility and semantic relevance

As agentic AI systems like Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and travel-specific assistants mature, travel brands that don’t adapt risk being excluded from search entirely—filtered out before the guest ever sees their listing.

What STR Hosts Should Do Now

Whether you’re managing a beachfront villa or a city apartment, here’s how to prepare for both of these trends:

✅ Adapt for the Indian traveller:

• Translate listing content into English and Hindi-friendly formats

• Offer flexible booking options, family-style amenities, and local cultural experiences

• Join platforms popular with Indian travellers (e.g., MakeMyTrip partnerships or Google Hotel Listings with local language support)

✅ Get AI-ready:

• Ensure your property descriptions are clear, structured, and keyword-rich

• Include detailed amenities, location context, and guest benefits in machine-readable formats

• Choose booking engines and PMS tools that support real-time feeds and open APIs

Final Thought: You’re Not Just Competing for Attention—You’re Competing for Relevance

The Philippines' bold visa policy and the travel tech industry's AI revolution both point to one thing: the rules of travel are changing fast. Success will go to those who are visible, adaptable, and able to serve guests in ways that feel seamless—whether they’re browsing Instagram in Mumbai or planning a trip through an AI assistant.