As 2024 draws to a close, the country’s foreign tourist arrivals remain significantly short of the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) target of 7.7 million visitors for the year.

As of 1 November, DoT data revealed a shortfall of 4,879,022 tourists in reaching the annual target.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco emphasized that tourist arrivals should not be the sole benchmark for evaluating the health of the tourism industry, pointing instead to tourism receipts as a stronger indicator.

From January to June this year, DoT reported P282.17 billion in tourism receipts, marking a 32.81 percent increase from the P212.47 billion collected over the same period in 2023. However, this amount is still below the total visitor spending of P482.54 billion recorded from January to December 2023.

In comparison with regional competitors, the Philippines trails behind, with Thailand having welcomed 26 million foreign tourists thus far, anticipating a total of 36 million visitors for the year. Vietnam, another strong competitor, recorded nearly 10 million arrivals in the first seven months of the year—a 51 percent increase over the same period last year and 1.9 percent higher than in 2019, according to Vietnam’s General Statistics Office.

Intensified Global Campaign for Remaining 2024

In response, DOT and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) have intensified efforts to promote the Philippines as a prime Southeast Asian destination. They will lead the largest Philippine delegation to the World Travel Market (WTM) 2024, to be held from 5 to 7 November 2024 at ExCeL, London.

"We see the World Travel Market London as a vital platform to present the Philippines to a global audience, showcasing the distinctive qualities that set our country apart— from our award-winning destinations and vibrant culture to our rich gastronomy, world-class hospitality facilities, and the renowned warmth of the Filipino people,” said Secretary Frasco.

“With our largest delegation of tour operators, hotels, and resorts since the pandemic, the DoT and TPB Philippines are strategically positioned to strengthen international partnerships and solidify the Philippines as a premier destination in the global tourism market, reaffirming our commitment to transforming the country into a tourism powerhouse in Asia, as envisioned by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.,” she added.

Founded in 1980, WTM is one of the world’s leading business-to-business travel industry events, uniting tourism professionals, government leaders, and international media to share travel and tourism innovations, build business connections, and expand global reach.