For years, the country’s tourism narrative has always focused on the turquoise waters of Boracay and El Nido and the cool mountain breezes of Baguio. Although these assets are truly magical, they have proven vulnerable to the challenges of regional competitors like Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.
But as 2026 unfolds, a more robust, high-octane engine of growth is starting to roar. With the country set to host some major sports events, the sports tourism sector is finally going full blast.
Under the banner of the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee, the Philippine Sports Commission and the Department of Tourism have joined forces as they have realized that sports tourists are the highest-yielding visitors in the world. These guests — athletes, coaches and team managers — not just travel in large groups of support staff and fans, they actually spend more significantly on premium hospitality services than the average backpacker from, say, Europe and the United States.
And more than that, their journey to glory is being extensively covered by the international media, giving the country massive exposure in the global market.
The country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games in 2019, the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2023, the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship, the International Series Philippines, the FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior Championships and the FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup last year are prime examples. With these major events broadcast to a global audience, the Philippines got major exposure that no traditional advertising budget could ever buy.
Yes, the government spent a fortune on hosting these events, but it was definitely worth it as it gave international sports federations an idea that the country is a sports tourism haven while building momentum for the years to come.
Now, the country is reaping the rewards.
The staging of the WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center later this month and the Philippine President’s Trophy at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in February are both high-value events that will definitely boost sports tourism in the first quarter of the year.
The Philippine Women’s Open will see the arrival of the world’s top tennis players who compete in the professional circuit. Paris Olympics silver medalist Donna Vekic of Croatia is arriving, as well as Tatjana Maria of Germany, Solana Sierra of Argentina and Lulu Sun of New Zealand.
Chinese powerhouse Wang Xinyu and Yue Yuan, as well as Japanese stars Moyuka Uchijima and Nao Hibino, are also in the field, giving the country a good chance of capturing the massive Asian sports tourism market, especially now that the government has lifted the visa requirement for Chinese who want to visit the country.
The staging of these international sports events is not just limited to Metro Manila. Also in the 2026 sports calendar are the Asian Track Cycling Championship in Tagaytay City in March and the AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup in Ilocos Sur in June. By spreading these events across provincial hubs, the government is effectively redistributing the tourist traffic, ensuring that the economic “flywheel effect” reaches local communities outside the capital.
But the success of the country’s hosting of these events does not just rest on the high-profile trophies. It also requires a sustained commitment to maintain a world-class hospitality service.
The refurbishment of the 92-year-old Rizal Memorial Sports Complex is a good start, but the government must also make sure that the airports, transport links and digital visa processes will be at par with the expectations of the sports tourists.
There is no doubt that the post-pandemic era has been challenging for the country’s tourism industry. But with our successful hosting of past major international events, we are proving that the country is not just a destination to be seen, but an arena to be experienced.
If we continue to play our cards right, our sports tourism sector will not just be a temporary boost — it will be the champion that carries our economy all the way to the finish line.