Foreign arrivals reach 3-M amid slow tourism recovery

Despite being hailed as the slowest in terms of recovery in Southeast Asia, the Philippine tourism industry has already posted P282 billion in the first half of the year, with international tourist arrivals now at 3 million.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco in a convention of meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) industry in Clark, Pampanga said the country has welcomed 3,173,694 inbound tourists, of which 92.55 percent or 2,937,293 are foreigners, while the remaining 7.45 percent or 236,401 are overseas Filipinos. 

Official data shows South Korea remains the Philippines’ top source of foreign arrivals, delivering 824,798 or 25.99 percent of the total number of visitors entering the country, followed by the United States with 522,667 (16.47 percent).

Chinese tourists came third with 199,939 (6.30 percent), with Japan at fourth with 188,805 (5.95 percent), and Australia with 137,391 (4.33 percent). 

Taiwan, Canada, the United Kingdom, and neighboring Southeast Asian nations, Singapore and Malaysia, are the sixth to tenth source markets, respectively. 

P282-B tourism receipts

Meanwhile, tourism earnings from inbound visitors are currently pegged at P282.17 billion from 1 January to 30 June, or approximately 32.81 percent higher than the P212.47 billion revenue from the same period last year. 

"The significant increase in our tourism earnings to P282.17 billion in just the first half of 2024 is a testament to the relentless efforts of the Marcos administration in revitalizing our tourism sector. This 32.81 percent rise from last year's figures not only showcases the growing appeal of the Philippines as a premier travel destination but also underscores the tangible benefits that tourism brings to our economy and our people," said Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco. 

"The income generated through tourism directly translates to more opportunities and improved livelihoods for Filipinos, reinforcing the critical role this industry plays in our nation's progress," she added.

Further, she said she is optimistic about furthering the gains of the industry as the 2024 Economic Impact Research (EIR) of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasts a “record-breaking” year for the Philippines’ travel and tourism industry in terms of economic contribution, employment, and visitor spending. 

According to the important global private sector group, the tourism sector’s contribution to the national economy is expected to reach P5.4 trillion this year, or around 25 percent year-on-year growth, surpassing the record-breaking achievement in 2019 by 7.1 percent. 

On the other hand, employment in tourism is also projected to surpass 9.5 million jobs, translating to 20 percent of the national workforce. 

The WTTC also forecasts that both international and domestic visitor spending are also set to break records this year or at P715.6 billion and P3.7 trillion, respectively, exceeding 2019 levels by 5.7 percent and 1.8 percent, respectively.

“This growth is testament to the government’s efforts in enhancing tourism infrastructure, with efforts underway to upgrade regional airports to alleviate congestion at Manila's main airport and make travel more accessible,” WTTC said in its report. 

Last week, Fitch Ratings reported that Philippine tourism activities in 2023 were the slowest versus Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, which registered 70 percent to 80 percent of the pre-pandemic benchmark.

The credit rating agency said tourism in the country only posted 61 percent in 2023.