The Philippine tourism industry is experiencing remarkable growth, surpassing expectations and achieving record-breaking milestones under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The Department of Tourism, (DoT), has seen impressive results, with tourism contributing significantly to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and attracting a surge in international visitors.

With sustainable and inclusive initiatives underway, such as the launch of Tourist Rest Areas and collaborations with local government units, the Philippines is poised to continue its ascent as an Asian tourism powerhouse.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco thanked the President for his continued confidence in the tourism sector as a pillar of economic growth.

Last year was a banner year for the industry, with tourism contributing an 8.6-percent share to the GDP, posting the highest growth rate in Tourism Direct Gross Value.

Total inbound and domestic visitor receipts totaled P3.367 trillion, up 75.3 percent from 2022.

The President’s “Bagong Pilipinas” vision has guided the tourism department in crafting and implementing innovative programs to elevate tourism services, expand opportunities, and enhance the tourist experience. This has resulted in extended stays and spending, providing livelihood to 6.2 million Filipinos.

THE DOT unveiled the enhanced tourism campaign “Love the Philippines” locally and in key cities abroad.

UPWARD TOURISM GROWTH

Tourism has solidified its status as one of the primary drivers of the country’s economy, as evidenced by its exceptional performance over the past year.

The Philippines has surpassed the US$100-billion mark in exports of goods and services. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) highlighted this milestone, reporting a substantial $2.45-billion net trade surplus in travel services — a feat not seen in 15 years.

Conversely, tourism investments have experienced remarkable growth, reaching P509 billion. This represents an impressive increase of over 34 percent compared to the previous year.

In 2023, there were an impressive 5.45 million international visitors, surpassing the 4.8 million foreign arrivals target for the year. Of the total, 91.80 percent, or 5,003,475 visitors, were foreigners, while 8.20 percent, or 447,082, were overseas Filipinos.

As of 19 July, the Philippines had welcomed 3,326,354 international visitors since January.

Tourism earnings from inbound visitors amounted to P282.17 billion during the first half of the year, an increase of 32.81 percent compared to the P212.47 billion revenue from last year.

SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE TOURISM

The DoT has incorporated innovative approaches in its tourism services, essential infrastructure, connectivity programs, and ongoing collaboration efforts with other national government agencies and local government units.

At least 10 Tourist Rest Areas (TRAs) in strategic locations nationwide have been put up, all fully equipped with clean restrooms and showers, charging stations, information, and pasalubong centers showcasing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) products. At least 22 more TRAs are in the works this year.

The Tourism Champions Challenge (TCC) highlighted the role of local government units (LGUs) in tourism development. In the program’s finale on 15 April 2024, fifteen LGUs from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao were granted P255 million to finance their innovative tourism infrastructure projects.

TOURIST CONVENIENCE AND RESILIENCE

The introduction of the first-ever Hop On, Hop Off Bus Tours in the cities of Makati, Pasay and Manila, along with the implementation of a multiplatform Tourist Assistance Call Center and the enhanced Travel Philippines mobile application, provide tourists with convenient access to information on all regions of the country.

The Tourist-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection (TOPCOP) is a partnership program with the Philippine National Police that ensures tourist safety. It has trained 7,910 officers and expanded training to include police auxiliary forces in LGUs.

EXPANDING THE TOURISM HORIZON

The “Love the Philippines” campaign has enhanced the tourism branding, with promotions highlighting the country’s well-established sun and beach attractions and cultural products.

The Cruise Visa Waiver (CVW) Program was developed in collaboration with the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Immigration to simplify visa procedures and attract more international cruise ships to the country.

The Philippines bagged the prestigious Best Ports of Call 2024 award at the 10th Asia Cruise Awards. The honor was bestowed during the Asia Cruise Forum on Jeju Island, Korea, on 10 July 2024.

Likewise, medical tourism has been boosted with the release of updated accreditation guidelines for dental clinics and public-private partnerships with international and local medical institutions, including Agora, St. Luke’s Medical Center, and The Medical City.

FILIPINOS AS TOURISM ASSETS

This year, the DoT led the largest Philippine delegation to the World Travel Market and the Internationale Tourismus-Börse Berlin and participated in the Arabian Travel Market, Seoul International Travel Fair, and ASEAN Tourism Forum.

Last month, the Philippines hosted the 36th Joint Meeting of the United Nations Tourism Commission for East Asia and the Pacific, the UN Tourism Commission for South Asia (36th CAP-CSA), and the First UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific in Cebu.

“As Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco showed, the rate of recovery in the Philippines is remarkable.

It’s not just in the number of tourists and in the revenue. It’s in the return of jobs, the return of livelihoods, which really is the heartbeat of tourism.

Importantly, however, on top of that we have seen especially being here in Clark for this incredibly important event. And that’s why I say gratitude, the way in which the Philippines is leading tourism in the world is exemplary,” said Anita Mendiratta special advisor to UN Tourism Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili.

The country hosted the PATA International Conference on Women in Travel in Bohol, the Philippine International Dive Expo (PHIDEX) 2024, the National Farm Tourism Summit, and many firsts, including the Philippine Dive Tourism Dialogue, the Philippine Creative Tourism Congress, the Philippine Golf Tourism Summit and the Tourism Pride Summit, among others.

The DoT and the Japanese Government’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism signed a landmark agreement in November 2023 to expand tourism opportunities. Similar agreements have been inked with Brunei and Qatar.

The tourism industry has also reaped back-to back global recognition as a premier international destination. These included the 2024 GovMedia Conference recognition in Singapore for outstanding government initiatives in Asia. The DoT’s Filipino Brand of Service Excellence Training Program was awarded the Tourism Training Program of the Year, and the TRA program the Tourism Infrastructure Project of the Year.

The DoT reaped four major awards at the World Travel Awards 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and defended its 2022 titles as the World’s Leading Dive Destination and World’s Leading Beach Destination. The Philippines bagged the World’s Leading City Destination for Manila for the first time.

The country likewise received the Global Tourism Resilience Award from WTA and was declared Destination of the Year at the 9th TripZilla Excellence Awards 2023.

Enhancing tourist convenience and tourism resilience remains a top priority for the DoT. With the President’s continued support, the Philippines is on track to elevate its position further as Asia’s leading travel destination.