2GO expects strong growth after Q1 surge

Sy-led 2GO Travel expects continued growth this year after posting a 12 percent year-on-year increase in passenger volume in the first quarter. This reflects strong demand for sea travel amid high airfare to tourist destinations.

“We are very happy to say that our first quarter did very well in terms of revenue plus passengers. We grew at least 12 percent from last year, which is very high,” 2GO Travel business unit head Francis Chua said in an interview with reporters last week.

“For the balance of the year, the projection is also quite bullish,” he added.

Chua said 2GO’s fleet hit a record-high load factor of 81 percent during the summer season and met its full-year targets in 2024.

“This summer season is really our highest ever,” he said.

Daily travel planned

To support growth, 2GO is promoting its Davao and General Santos routes, which were launched late last year and now operate twice weekly. Daily sailings from Batangas to Caticlan are also set to resume soon, along with new service to Romblon and Roxas.

Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro remain top-performing routes, while Davao and GenSan are emerging growth areas.

“We’re quite happy people have been supporting it,” Chua said.

2GO operates eight vessels and plans to reactivate one more for Batangas service, raising the fleet to nine with capacities ranging from 800 to 1,800 passengers per ship.

The company is also planning to launch a new route to Siargao by June, capitalizing on demand for more affordable alternatives to expensive flights.

It continues to serve a wide range of passengers, including tourists and mass-market travelers, particularly from Mindanao. Its sea routes remain a cheaper option versus air travel, especially on busy trade and tourist corridors.