Foreign tourist arrivals in the Philippines rose nearly 9 percent through late April despite global travel concerns fueled by the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, the Department of Tourism (DoT) reported Thursday.

Data from 1 January to 27 April shows the country recorded 2.24 million international visitors. Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said in a statement that while the year-on-year growth is encouraging, the agency has observed slower booking conversions and “cautious traveler sentiment” in certain segments.

“Demand is not disappearing — it is shifting and rebalancing,” Mathay said. “What this tells us is simple: tourism demand is still strong — but more sensitive, more selective and more dynamic.”

To counter global volatility, the department is leaning on domestic tourism as a “stabilizer.” Planned initiatives include strengthening regional travel circuits and promoting wellness and community-based tourism.