January 2025 tourism profit surpasses pre-Covid income levels — DoT

The Department of Tourism said tourism receipts for January 2025 alone surpassed pre-pandemic revenue levels from 2019, signaling the recovery of the country’s tourism industry from the adverse effects of the pandemic.

In a statement on Thursday, the DoT said that as of February 28, the country had already earned over $1.1 billion, or over P65.3 billion, in January 2025 from various tourism-related activities, products, and services, according to data from the DOT.

These amounts were already higher than the $821 million, or P43 billion, recorded in January 2019.

Compared to the revenues in January 2019, the income from tourism in January this year exceeded pre-pandemic levels by an impressive 136.1 percent in terms of U.S. dollars and 151.46 percent in terms of Philippine pesos.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said the surge in income for Philippine tourism is a sign that the industry is not only bouncing back from the pandemic but also evolving and expanding, contributing significantly to the country’s economic stability and growth.

“The recovery of Philippine tourism from the period of the pandemic in terms of revenues translates to thousands of jobs created for Filipinos, providing livelihood opportunities for many, especially in our rural and underserved areas,” said the Tourism Chief.

She added that such growth aligns with the Marcos administration’s goal of making tourism “inclusive and equitable” to empower local entrepreneurs and communities.

Secretary Frasco also reported that the January 2025 tourism income surpassed the revenues tallied in January 2024.

Compared to January 2025, the country’s tourism income grew by 71.4 percent in U.S. dollars, reaching $652,255,773.51 in January 2024. Additionally, Philippine peso revenues soared by 78.81 percent from P36,508,238,043 in January 2024.

The DOT recorded the Philippines’ tourism revenues based on Visitor Sample Surveys, records from previous Arrival/Departure Cards, Shipping Manifests, and the current eTravel System.

In 2024, Secretary Frasco reported that the Philippines achieved an all-time high in tourism revenue, approximately P760 billion, making tourism a vital pillar of the country’s economy.

Meanwhile, the DOT disclosed that 1,167,908 foreign travelers visited the Philippines in the first two months of 2025.

Over a quarter, or 25.31 percent, of the total figure came from South Korea, with 295,611 tourists, based on DOT data as of March 1, 2025.

South Korea has been the Philippines’ top source of tourists since 2023, which is expected to further increase with the appointment of South Korean star Seo In-Guk as the “celebrity tourism ambassador for the Philippines” in February this year.

Following South Korea was the United States, with 229,836 travelers; Japan, with 83,208 tourists; Canada, with 65,145 visitors; and Australia, with 61,564 guests.

The Philippines also welcomed 53,545 tourists from China, 41,388 from Taiwan, 34,451 from the United Kingdom, 29,352 from Singapore, and 21,252 from France.