In a bid to enhance travel support during the Holy Week and beyond, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced that Mandarin-speaking agents are now part of its Tourist Assistance Call Center operations.

DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the new service was launched earlier this April, following the addition of Korean-speaking agents in February 2025. The multilingual upgrade comes as part of the DOT’s efforts to better cater to the growing number of foreign visitors.

“We have already launched the Korean-speaking call center agents, and very recently we have also already launched the Mandarin-speaking call center agents,” Frasco confirmed during an inter-agency inspection at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on 10 April.

The Tourist Assistance Call Center, accessible via hotline 151-TOUR (151-8687), will remain operational during the Holy Week break — a period when DOT anticipates a surge in both domestic and international tourist arrivals. According to Frasco, over 30 million travelers are expected to visit destinations across the country over the long weekend.

Mandarin-speaking tourists may now contact the DOT from Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Philippine Standard Time), through the hotline or via mobile at +63 954-253-3215, email (touristassistance@tourism.gov.ph), Facebook Messenger (Department of Tourism – Philippines), Click2Call, and Live Webchat services on beta.tourism.gov.ph.

The center offers real-time assistance on tourism concerns, travel advisories, emergency referrals, and DOT-accredited establishments. Since its launch in October 2023, the call center has received around 14,000 calls from 72 countries.

“With a total of four languages already available, the Department of Tourism's Tourist Assistance Call Center aims to fulfill a key objective of the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023 to 2028, which is to enhance the overall tourist experience in the Philippines,” said Frasco.

She added that the initiative supports the government’s push for a digitally empowered, accessible, and efficient public service, aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas vision.

The center recently earned the Best in Service – Customer Support (Regional Level) award at the Asia Best of Best Awards 2024 in Dubai.

DOT data as of 1 April 2025 shows China ranked sixth in inbound traveler sources, with 72,665 arrivals in the first quarter of the year. Chinese nationals also placed sixth among top visitors to the Philippines by nationality, at 73,013.