tourism boom in philippines

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Tourism industry in the Philippines - statistics & facts

Domestic tourism leading the industry in times of uncertainty, outlook of the tourism industry, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Value of domestic tourism spending APAC 2022, by country

Value of international tourism spending APAC 2022, by country

Estimated online travel and tourism revenue Philippines 2023, by category

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Current statistics on this topic.

Gross value added of the tourism industry Philippines 2019-2022, by type

Number of domestic tourism trips Philippines 2012-2021

Leisure Travel

International tourist arrivals Philippines 2012-2023

Recommended statistics

Premium Statistic International tourist arrivals worldwide 2019-2022, by subregion
Basic Statistic Value of domestic tourism spending APAC 2022, by country
Basic Statistic Value of international tourism spending APAC 2022, by country
Basic Statistic Travel and tourism's direct contribution to employment APAC 2022, by country
Premium Statistic Estimated online travel and tourism revenue Philippines 2023, by category

International tourist arrivals worldwide 2019-2022, by subregion

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide from 2019 to 2022, by subregion (in millions)

Value of domestic tourism expenditure in the Asia-Pacific region in 2022, by country or territory (in billion U.S. dollars)

Value of international tourism expenditure in the Asia-Pacific region in 2022, by country or territory (in billion U.S. dollars)

Travel and tourism's direct contribution to employment APAC 2022, by country

Direct contribution of travel and tourism to employment in the Asia-Pacific region in 2022, by country or territory (in millions)

Estimated revenue on online travel and tourism services in the Philippines in 2023, by category (in million U.S. dollars)

Economic impact

Premium Statistic Gross value added of the tourism industry Philippines 2019-2022, by type
Premium Statistic Share of tourism GDP Philippines 2012-2022
Premium Statistic Tourism industry growth rate Philippines 2018/19-2021/22, by sector
Premium Statistic Tourism receipts Philippines 2019-2023
Premium Statistic Tourism expenditures Philippines 2022, by travel type
Premium Statistic Tourism sector employment figures Philippines 2012-2022

Gross value added generated from the tourism industry in the Philippines from 2019 to 2022, by type (in billion Philippine pesos)

Share of tourism GDP Philippines 2012-2022

Share of direct gross value added of the tourism industry to the GDP of the Philippines from 2012 to 2022

Tourism industry growth rate Philippines 2018/19-2021/22, by sector

Annual growth rate of the gross value added generated from the tourism industry (GVATI) in the Philippines from 2018/19 to 2021/22, by sector

Tourism receipts Philippines 2019-2023

Tourism receipts in the Philippines from 2019 to 2023 (in billion Philippine pesos)

Tourism expenditures Philippines 2022, by travel type

Total value of tourism expenditures in the Philippines in 2022, by type of travel (in billion Philippine pesos)

Tourism sector employment figures Philippines 2012-2022

Total number of people employed in the tourism industry in the Philippines from 2012 to 2022 (in millions)

Inbound tourism

Basic Statistic International tourist arrivals Philippines 2012-2023
Premium Statistic Tourist arrivals Philippines 2023, by country of residence
Premium Statistic Expenditure value in inbound tourism Philippines 2021-2022, by type
Premium Statistic Number of inbound overnight tourists Philippines 2012-2021
Premium Statistic Average length of stay of inbound tourists Philippines 2012-2021

Total number of international tourist arrivals to the Philippines from 2012 to 2023 (in millions)

Tourist arrivals Philippines 2023, by country of residence

Leading source countries of foreign tourist arrivals in the Philippines in 2023 (in 1,000s)

Expenditure value in inbound tourism Philippines 2021-2022, by type

Total value of expenditure in inbound tourism in the Philippines in 2021 and 2022, by type (in billion Philippine pesos)

Number of inbound overnight tourists Philippines 2012-2021

Number of inbound overnight visitors in the Philippines from 2012 to 2021

Average length of stay of inbound tourists Philippines 2012-2021

Average length of stay of inbound tourists in the Philippines from 2012 to 2021 (in days)

Domestic tourism

Premium Statistic Number of domestic tourism trips Philippines 2012-2021
Premium Statistic Domestic passenger count Philippines 2023, by airline
Premium Statistic Household expenditure share of domestic tourism spending Philippines 2012-2022
Premium Statistic Domestic tourism expenditures Philippines 2012-2022
Premium Statistic Domestic tourism expenditures Philippines 2020-2022, by product

Total number of domestic tourism trips in the Philippines from 2012 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Domestic passenger count Philippines 2023, by airline

Number of domestic passengers in the Philippines in 2023, by airline (in 1,000s)

Household expenditure share of domestic tourism spending Philippines 2012-2022

Domestic tourism expenditure as a share of household final consumption expenditure in the Philippines from 2012 to 2022

Domestic tourism expenditures Philippines 2012-2022

Total value of domestic tourism expenditures in the Philippines from 2012 to 2022 (in billion Philippine pesos)

Domestic tourism expenditures Philippines 2020-2022, by product

Total value of expenditure in domestic tourism in the Philippines from 2020 to 2022, by product (in billion Philippine pesos)

Outbound tourism

Premium Statistic Number of international tourist departures in the Philippines 2014-2029
Premium Statistic Outbound tourism expenditures Philippines 2020-2022, by segment
Premium Statistic Expenditures on accommodation services in outbound tourism Philippines 2012-2022
Premium Statistic Expenditures on food and beverage services in outbound tourism Philippines 2012-2022
Premium Statistic Expenditures on travel agency services in outbound tourism Philippines 2012-2022

Number of international tourist departures in the Philippines 2014-2029

Number of international tourist departures in the Philippines from 2014 to 2029 (in millions)

Outbound tourism expenditures Philippines 2020-2022, by segment

Total value of expenditure in outbound tourism in the Philippines from 2020 to 2022, by segment (in billion Philippine pesos)

Expenditures on accommodation services in outbound tourism Philippines 2012-2022

Value of expenditures on accommodation services for visitors in outbound tourism in the Philippines from 2012 to 2022 (in billion Philippine pesos)

Expenditures on food and beverage services in outbound tourism Philippines 2012-2022

Value of expenditures on food and beverage serving services in outbound tourism in the Philippines from 2012 to 2022 (in billion Philippine pesos)

Expenditures on travel agency services in outbound tourism Philippines 2012-2022

Value of expenditures on travel agencies and other reservation services in outbound tourism in the Philippines from 2012 to 2022 (in billion Philippine pesos)

Accommodation

Premium Statistic Overnight travelers Philippines 2022, by type
Premium Statistic Revenue of the hotels industry in the Philippines 2019-2028
Premium Statistic Average hotel room rates Metro Manila Philippines 2021-2023, by star classification
Premium Statistic Highest overnight room rates of hotels in Metro Manila, Philippines 2023, by city
Premium Statistic Revenue of the vacation rentals industry in the Philippines 2019-2028

Overnight travelers Philippines 2022, by type

Number of overnight travelers in the Philippines in 2022, by type (in millions)

Revenue of the hotels industry in the Philippines 2019-2028

Revenue of the hotels market in the Philippines from 2019 to 2028 (in million U.S. dollars)

Average hotel room rates Metro Manila Philippines 2021-2023, by star classification

Average room rates of hotels in Metro Manila in the Philippines from 2021 to 2023, by star classification (in U.S. dollars)

Highest overnight room rates of hotels in Metro Manila, Philippines 2023, by city

Maximum overnight room rate of hotels in Metro Manila in the Philippines as of June 2023, by city (in Philippine pesos)

Revenue of the vacation rentals industry in the Philippines 2019-2028

Revenue of the vacation rentals market in the Philippines from 2019 to 2028 (in million U.S. dollars)

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To Build Up Tourism, Philippines Loosens Pandemic Restrictions For Filipinos

Ashley Westerman

The tourism industry in the Philippines lost some $8 billion in 2020 because of the pandemic. Filipinos are being encouraged to travel domestically to try to restart a crucial sector of the economy.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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Ph tourism continues to make a massive comeback postpandemic.

Business Owner
PH tourism continues to make…

As the two-year pandemic has forced everyone to isolate themselves in their own homes, the country’s biggest contributors to the economy have taken a massive hit. Losses, layoffs and closures were among the many devastating effects, but as the Philippines and the world begin to open up and ease border restrictions, the economy has also begun to grow faster.

The tourism industry has been one of the major drivers of economic growth for the country. In an Economic Impact Report by the World Travel & Tourism Council, the Philippines’ tourism sector was reported to have had a 22.5-percent contribution to the total economy ($92.6 billion) prepandemic. Travel restrictions caused this to plunge to 4.8 percent. In 2021, the report said the travel sector was showing signs of recovery, as it posted a 10.4-percent share in the economy.

In addition, the International Air Transport Association projected the Philippines’ overall passenger numbers to improve by up to 83 percent this 2022, and up to 94 percent in 2023, and more than 100 percent in 2024. In the domestic space, they see better numbers, at 93 percent improvement in passenger numbers for 2022, 103 percent in 2023, and 111 percent by 2024.

But in what direction is our tourism industry headed, given the experiences and challenges of the pandemic? In Inquirer’s Project Rebound webinar on May 18, experts and key figures in the local tourism sector shared their insights on the country’s postpandemic tourism boom.‘Pandemic to spendemic’

Panelists from key areas of the tourism and property industry shared their insights on the sector’s growth after two years of a global crisis.

Woodrow “RR” Maquiling Jr., undersecretary for the Department of Tourism (DOT), in his keynote speech, shared positive news. Since opening the country’s borders with eased travel restrictions, the country has recorded an “all-time high” of 437,000 international arrivals. Maquiling also noted that domestic tourism has remained a “strong backbone” for the travel economy.

People-centered recovery initiatives were key in the bouncing back of the tourism industry, Maquiling said. Aside from financial assistance, priority was also given to tourism workers, as they were among the most vulnerable during the pandemic. As tourism front-liners, special vaccination programs were also held to ensure their as well as travelers’ safety. A total of 282,780 tourism frontliners were vaccinated, according to Maquiling.

In addition, to address tourist concerns on safety, the DOT also implemented a voluntary certification scheme. This involves establishments getting safety seal certifications, as well as coordinated contact tracing systems via staysafe.ph. These programs helped boost travelers’ trust and confidence in local tourism establishments, according to Maquiling.

According to DOT’s studies, trends are leaning towards high interest in multipurpose travel—that is, destinations wherein both remote work and leisure are possible. This trend has also been evident in real estate, as the past two years have seen more people begin investing in homes that offer open spaces, but still retaining access to amenities, according to AboitizLand president David Rafael. With the increased demand for houses and land, Rafael noted several other priorities Filipinos now have with regard to property, particularly bigger living spaces, especially those that can allow for self-care corners, as well as greenery and outdoor areas.

Travel has become like a basic need, Rafael added, and with new work and lifestyle trends brought about by the pandemic, property choices have evolved, too. The adoption of the work-from-home setup has allowed more Filipinos to live outside major cities and business districts, opting to settle in “urban rural” areas which provide a balance of connectivity and accessibility, as well as the quality of life being away from densely populated, highly metropolitan spaces can provide.

This pandemic saw people invest more in their homes due to restrictions in travel, according to AboitizLand president David Rafael.

Revitalizing domestic travel

Aside from its people-centered recovery initiatives, DOT has also begun to improve domestic travel offerings. To date, the department has been able to create and classify 112 tourism circuits, which allow them to expand the market to beyond beaches and coastal tourism.

The Philippines has become the top Asian destination for summer travel for tourists in Europe, according to Tourism Promotions Board deputy chief operating officer for marketing and promotions Charles Bautista. And while beaches remain a top destination even among local travelers, the various tourism organizations are also acting on the need to offer something new.

Roberto Zozobrado, chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, noted that stakeholders are now aware of the need to redesign and redefine their offerings. As the pandemic changed people’s travel style, habits, and preferences, travel agents, tour operators, and other tourism workers must also take a look at how they can make new experiences possible. “Travelers want to pay for a unique experience,” he said.

“There’s a lot of demand in the domestic market in exploring the country, but they’re no longer interested in the usual,” Bautista added. “They want something more curated, more exclusive destinations.”

Lesser known, off-the-beaten-track destinations are becoming the new stars of domestic tourism, the experts noted. Cultural and culinary immersion, and activities and experiences unique to a province or region add to the appeal.

Aside from long-time popular destinations such as Boracay and Baguio, Maquiling highlighted the uptick in visitors to La Union, Ilocos, Rizal, and areas in CALABARZON and Central Luzon. A common denominator among these spots is that they can be accessed by land, and are rich in open spaces.

Meanwhile, cultural heritage sites and eco sites in Visayas and Northern Mindanao are also gaining prominence.

“Revenge tourism” is another trend being attributed to the growth in the popularity of previously lesser known regions. After being deprived of open spaces, human interaction, and culinary variety amid the past years’ lockdowns, travelers are now in search of experiencing the opposite of what they were deprived of, hence the growing interest in nature destinations, cultural immersions, and exploring different culinary offerings.

Lastly, oft-overlooked circuits of tourism are expected to become more popular post-pandemic. Maquiling cited farm tourism, which has already long existed in the country, but is slowly seeing a resurgence thanks to growing interest in nature and open spaces, slow living, and health and wellness.

Work-from-home setups have allowed people to live outside cities, opting for “urban rural” areas that balance connectivity and accessibility with quality of life.

The post-pandemic shift to highlighting domestic tourism, as well as the more pronounced discussions on climate change, have helped bring forward the necessity of implementing sustainable practices in hospitality and tourism. More than just spotlighting local goods and services, it has also served as an opportunity for establishments and operators to change their practices.

Sustainability consultant Joel Palma, former executive director of World Wildlife Fund Philippines, emphasized the importance of adopting more sustainable practices. With the timeline inching closer to the 2030 benchmark, this time that tourism is taking to pivot and shift should be a good opportunity to address environmental concerns.

Aside from the plastic problem, another of concern, especially for the tourism sector, is the issue of food waste. One-third of all food produced is wasted, Palma said, but he also noted that proper training and education have allowed many local hotels and restaurants to reduce food waste.

Tourism Promotions Board Charles Bautista shared insights on what experiences tourists are now looking for in destinations.

Post-COVID vs post-pandemic

In looking at the future of the tourism industry, the panel agreed that it is important to note that there may no longer be such a thing as “post-COVID.” As far as trends and developments go, it is not a matter of the virus no longer existing, but for the world—and therefore the industry—to learn how to live with it.

Instead of focusing on going back to a life without COVID, the panel said Filipinos must instead start living in a world after a pandemic. Therefore, the emphasis is on taking stock of the changes in traveler habits and preferences, staying on top of medical news and updates to ensure correct protocols, and promoting being better advocates of health.

“Be a responsible tourist for a sustainable future,” Maquiling said.

Author: Inquirer

DOT reports increase in domestic tourism in 2021

The demand for domestic tourism soared in 2021 amid the pandemic, this is according to the data from the Department of Tourism (DOT). The DOT and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) bared encouraging industry figures in the 2021 Philippine Tourism Satellite Accounts (PTSA) and Tourism Statistics Online Dissemination forum held Tuesday (June 28). According to the PTSA report, domestic tourism recorded a surge tallying 37,279,282 trips in 2021, a 38.16% growth compared to the 26,982,233 trips in 2020. The National Capital Region (1,973,851), followed by CALABARZON (1,953,419), and Central Luzon (1,905,758) were the top overnight destinations for local tourists last year. “The DOT attributes the resurgence of domestic tourism to the collaborative efforts of the national and local government units to standardize health and safety protocols, reinforced by the active participation of tourism stakeholders from the private sector. This, and the Department’s aggressive campaign on domestic tourism carried out with our regional offices, and with the help of local tourism offices across the country, restored Filipinos’ confidence to travel,” explained DOT Branding and Marketing Communications Assistant Secretary Howard Lance Uyking. To recall, the DOT and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines spearheaded the “It’s More Fun With You” campaign to encourage Filipinos to travel during the recovery stages of the pandemic. The campaign was heavy on digital promotions, featuring virtual tours, in-depth websites, co-branding initiatives with the private sector, and generating awareness in new platforms. Meanwhile, based on the same report, tourism industries employed about 4.9 million individuals in 2021, 4.6 percent higher than the 4.7 million employed in 2020. Tourism contributed 11.1 percent to the total employment of the country. During the forum, the DOT noted the decline in foreign visitor arrivals as Philippine borders remain closed last year. The country recorded a total of 163,879 visitors from January to December 2021, a decline of 88.95% from 2020 arrivals of 1,482,535. USA dominated the top visitor markets of the country with 39,326 arrivals. Japan, which ranked fourth in 2020, claimed the second spot with 15,024 arrivals. China followed in third place with 9,674 arrivals. An opportunity market before, India (7,202) rose to fourth place with Canada (6,781) at the fifth spot while Korea, the country’s top source market for many years, fell to 6th place with 6,456 arrivals. Turkey and the United Kingdom ranked 7th and 8th respectively, with each contributing more than 4,000 arrivals. Completing the top 10 markets are Middle East countries United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia with more than 2,000 arrivals each. “PTSA reports have been a critical tool in helping the DOT develop the tourism sector as a significant socio-economic activity, generate foreign exchange, employment, and information dissemination on the importance and benefit of the tourism sector for both private and public sectors,” DOT OIC-Secretary Edwin Enrile said during his opening remarks at the forum. “Armed with this data and information, the DOT can further improve and refine its current plans and programs, learn from its weaknesses, and pinpoint where our strengths and opportunities lie amidst the pandemic,” OIC-Secretary Enrile added. Manila, as the country’s main gateway through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, maintained the lion’s share of the total air arrivals with 142,448 or 86.92%. This is followed by the Mactan-Cebu International Airport which received a total of 11,119 visitors (6.78%), and the Clark International Airport with 9,964 (6.08%) arrivals. Visitor spending or tourist receipts generated in 2021 recorded an estimated PhP 8.49 Billion, a decrease of 89.67% from the visitor receipts of PhP 82.24 Billion recorded in the same period of the previous year. In average, a tourist apparently spent around PhP 7,000 a day in the Philippines and stayed for an average of 10.58 nights. “We continue to do this (online dissemination forum) because we recognize the considerable contribution of tourism to the Philippine economy and its role and importance in creating opportunities and in generating employment for our kababayans”, National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa cited in his keynote message. Tourists mostly visited the Philippines for holiday/leisure with a total of 15.99% purpose of visit followed by business trips (8.11%) and incentive travel (2.66%). The average age of tourists that comes to the Philippines is 39 years old, majority of whom are male travelers registering at about 59.25%, significantly edging female travelers at 40.49%. Meanwhile, according to the Survey on occupancy rates of Hotels in 2021, Metro Manila recorded an average hotel occupancy rate of 60.97%. In the forum hosted by Dr. Maria Cherry Lyn Rodolfo, DOT OIC-Director Warner Andrada presented the 2021 Tourism Industry Performance, while Assistant National Statistician Vivian Ilarina talked about the 2021 PTSA and Dr. Carlos Dela Reyna Jr. of the Bureau of Quarantine (BoQ) discussed the relevance of the One Health Pass (OHP). Meanwhile, DOT Undersecretary Woodrow Maquiling Jr. delivered the closing remarks at the forum. The Tourism Satellite Account is a standard statistical framework and the main tool for the economic measurement of tourism, developed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), among other statistical organizations, which allows the measurement of the contribution of tourism industries to Philippine economy.

Published:June 29, 2022

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Frasco meets US filmmakers, media execs to promote Philippine tourism

Record number 1,400 Koreans arrive to Filipino welcome led by Tourism Secretary Frasco

Tourism chief Frasco dives in Puerto Galera, provides alternative livelihood to Oriental Mindoro

Philippine-Turkiye air service deal to boost tourism- DOT Chief

DOT-DOLE Tourism Job Fairs offer more than 8K jobs; 3rd leg set in May

DOT, DOTr jointly conduct inspection at NAIA T2 ahead of Holy Week break

More than 6k jobs up for grabs at DOT’s PHL tourism job fair

Go Negosyo, DOT mount Tourism Summit in Cebu

Business as usual in Puerto Galera; DOT to train tourism workers affected by oil spill for alternative livelihood – Frasco

DOT holds Philippine visa reforms convergence

Philippines hits 260M negotiated sales, bags recognition at the ITB Berlin 2023

DOT chief unveils National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023-2028 at stakeholders’ summit

Frasco meets with Central Europe tourism players, vows prioritization of tourism under Marcos Administration

Philippines comes back with biggest delegation to ITB Berlin, bags sustainable tourism recognitions

Oil Spill affecting tourist sites – DOT Chief

DOT issues guidelines pushing for more openness for tourism enterprises

Tourism chief to lead biggest PHL delegation to ITB Berlin 2023

PHL feted Best Dive Destination anew

New Flights from Clark to boost tourism, decongest NAIA

Frasco lauds Ilocos Norte’s Tan-Ok festival as manifestation of the Philippine Experience’

Frasco: Panagbenga Festival touts Baguio’s tourism resurgence

DOT extends ‘free accreditation’ for tourism establishments

DOT Chief launches Tourism Champions Challenge’ to spur tourism development in LGUs

PHL secures back-to-back nominations at the 2023 World Travel Awards

Frasco convenes first TCC meeting, forecasts full domestic recovery in 2023

Frasco leads groundbreaking of new tourist pit stop to boost Palawan tourism

Frasco leads grand welcome reception for cruise passengers, says ‘PHL aims to be cruise hub in Asia’

Japanese stakeholders bullish of PHL tourism prospects

PBBM, Tourism chief engage Japanese tourism stakeholders in high-level meet in Tokyo

Tourism chief affirms DOT’s support to PH Dev’t Plan 2023-2028

Chinese tourists receive warm welcome from PHL; DOT foresees swifter tourism recovery with Chinese outbound group tour

PHL, CHINA ink tourism implementation deal

PHL breaches 2.6M arrivals for 2022; DOT chief bullish of 2023 projections

DOT lands on Top 3 Highest Approval Rating among Government Agencies; bares targets for 2023

DOT, DICT ink deal for improvement of connectivity in tourist destinations, digitalization of services

DOT, DMW launch newest incentivized tourism promotions campaign

DOT, TIEZA launch 7th Tourist Rest Area in Pagudpud’s Saud Beach

Tourist Rest Area to rise in Bohol

Luzon’s First DOT Tourist Rest Area to Rise In Baguio City

DOT strengthens PHL-Saudi Arabia tourism relations, engages industry key players

Statement of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco on the Launch of the e-Travel System

Filipino hospitality, Philippine sustainable tourism highlighted at WTTC Global Summit Saudi Arabia

Frasco welcomes Uzakrota World’s Leading Country Award, PHL destinations’ citations

Frasco eyes more urban parks in the Philippines

DOT’s Frasco is among best-performing cabinet officials- RPMD Survey

Frasco hails first-ever North Luzon Travel Fair as critical to revitalizing tourism; reiterates the Philippines’ readiness for visitors

DOT welcomes long holidays for 2023; PBBM signing of Proclamation No. 90 important stimulus to PHL domestic tourism in 2023: DOT chief

PHL visitor arrivals reach 2M; tourism revenue hit 100B – DOT Chief

Philippines hailed as World’s Leading Dive and Beach Destinations

PHL Tourism Chief initiates tourism cooperation talks with Italian Tourism Minister

Palawan cited “Most Desirable Island” in 21st Wanderlust Travel Award

Outlook for Philippine tourism positive – tourism chief

DOT launches 1st North Luzon Travel Fair

Tourism chief to lead PHL contingent to WTM, brings listening tours to FILCOM in UK

PBBM oks easing of stringent travel restrictions

PHITEX 2022 yields record high 173M sales leads

One Health Pass replaced with PHL’s ‘simpler’ eARRIVAL CARD system

Philippine Experience Caravans to roll out 2023 – Frasco

DOT relaunches Philippine Tourism Awards

DOT exceeds 2022 target arrivals; PBBM rallies support for tourism as admin’s priority sector

Siargao, a priority for Tourism Development — Frasco

STATEMENT OF TOURISM SECRETARY CHRISTINA GARCIA FRASCO

DOT bares tourism wins under PBBM’s first 100 days

Tourist Rest Areas for PHL’s top destination – Cebu

Tourist Rest Areas launched in Mindanao

FY 2023 DOT budget submitted to plenary; Senators press for higher tourism budget

DOT celebrates Philippines’ back to back wins at Conde Naste Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards; Boracay claims spot as top island in Asia anew

Frasco secures CA nod as Tourism Chief

DOT receives HOR nod for P3.573 B budget for 2023

First ever DOT-DOLE nat’l tourism job fair opens

Tourism Chief tackles plans to revive industry, entices foreign investors in New York briefing

PBBM pronouncements at UN meet an “excellent representation” of PHL – Secretary Frasco

DOT-DOLE 1st Philippine Tourism Job Fair pre-registration now open, more than 7k jobs available to tourism job seekers- Sec. Frasco

STATEMENT OF TOURISM SECRETARY CHRISTINA GARCIA FRASCO ON THE LIFTING OF OUTDOOR MASK MANDATE IN THE PHILIPPINES

DOT muling pinarangalan ng Selyo ng Kahusayan sa Serbisyo Publiko 2022

DOT Chief welcomes IATF recommendation to make masking optional when outdoors

Phl scores back to back win in WTA Asia; Intramuros hailed as Asia’s Leading Tourist Attraction of 2022

Frasco lays out DOT plans and programs for industry recovery; lawmakers bat for higher DOT budget

More than 1,500 tourism jobs to be offered in joint DOT-DOLE job fair

Dot to ink tourism job fair program – trabaho, turismo, asenso with dole; domestic, international jobs to be available to tourism job hunters.

Thailand to offer tourism job opportunities to Filipinos– Frasco

PHL tourism chief pushes for increased connectivity, interoperability of vax certs, equalization of opportunities, and sustainability in APEC tourism ministers’ meet

Philippines strengthens tourism ties with Thailand

DOT TRAINS BOHOL VENDORS ON FILIPINO BRAND OF SERVICE EXCELLENCE

20 intl, local dive and marine experts take centerstage at PHIDEX 2022

Measures in place to ensure safe travel to PHL – Tourism Chief

FRASCO OPTIMISTIC OF PH TOURISM RESURGENCE, LAUDS CEBU TOURISM SUCCESS

Frasco eyes visitor-friendly, “distinctly Filipino” air, seaports in PHL

DOT celebrates Philippine Accessible Disability Services, Inc. (PADS) Dragon Boat Team historic four gold medal haul

DOT to facilitate interagency effort to strengthen Filipino Brand of Service

DOT to coordinate on quake-hit tourist destinations, heritage sites

PBBM cites tourism as top-priority; orders infra development, enhancement of Filipino brand

DOT chief takes “Listening Tours” to Luzon

DOT Chief affirms support to National Museum of the Philippines; proposes inclusion of museums in tourism circuits

Boracay, Palawan and Cebu hailed World’s Best Islands; DOT celebrates back-to-back accolades for PHL destinations

Marcos push for Tourism Infra strengthens industry, raises PHL global position – DOT Chief

DOT lauds Boracay’s inclusion in TIME’s 50 World’s Greatest Places of 2022

DOT lauds Cebu-based group win in int’l dance competition

Statement of tourism secretary christina garcia frasco on banaue.

Tourism Chief Frasco kicks off listening tours in VisMin, encourages officials to reach out to LGUs, stakeholders

Tourism chief Frasco to go on ‘listening tours’ starting this week

Incoming tourism chief receives warm welcome from employees, vows to bring “LGU perspective” to DOT

DOT’s Philippine International Dive Expo (PHIDEX) returns to Manila next month

First Davao Dive Expo slated on June 24

DOT touts ‘future farms’ as new and sustainable tourist attractions

DOT pitches PHL as ideal retirement destination in Japan Expo

DOT positions New Clark City as premier tourism investment hub

PH’s significant recovery in travel and tourism hot topic in Routes Asia 2022

DOT’s KAIN NA! takes foodies to a multi-sensory adventure

DOT Presents “Escape: Stories from the Road” Podcast

Second (2nd) Online Master TESOL Certification Course

DOT, MMC Foundation partnership brings ER bikes to three Metro Manila tourist sites

DOT spotlights PWDs and women in tourism with new “It’s More Fun for All” campaign

Media release from the department of tourism.

PHL scraps COVID pre-departure test for fully vaccinated, boostered tourists

DENR, DOT and DILG unveil Year of Protected Areas (YoPA) Campaign marking 90th anniversary of Protected Area establishment in the Philippines

Department of Tourism and Mickey Go Philippines introduce Pinoy Mickey Funko Pops

DOT launches “Keep the Fun Going” sustainable tourism campaign with gamified challenges

DOT reminds AEs on proper flag etiquette

DOT 49th Anniversary speech of the Tourism Secretary

DOT pushes for 100% vaccination of active tourism workers

DOT calls for lowering of testing price cap, certification of more saliva test facilities

PHL may be next filming location as Tourism Summit brings in Hollywood execs

WTTC Investment Tour Highlights Viable Opportunities in Clark, Central Luzon

WTTC lauds PH successful hosting of Int’l tourism Summit

Closing and Congratulatory Message during the Closing Ceremony of the 21st WTTC Global Summit of the DOT Secretary

WTTC: ‘Astonishing Recovery’ for Philippines’ tourism sector

World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Exhibition Booths

WTTC Opening Ceremony Welcome Remarks of the DOT Secretary

WTTC bullish on PH tourism recovery amid Covid-19 pandemic

PHL Foreign tourist arrivals breach 200k mark – DOT Chief

DOT, partner agencies celebrate Filipino Food Month

WTTC announces speakers for its 21st Global Summit in the Philippines

DOT seeks return of Korean tourists, PH’s top market

DOT inks partnership with PNP, PDEA to beef up security in tourist destinations

DOT Launches Digital Travel Magazine “7641”

PHL says “All systems go for full reopening on April 1”; Removes EED as entry requirement

Phl logs more than 100,000 visitor arrivals since feb. 10 reopening.

DOT meets with Japanese tourism execs to boost inbound tourism arrivals

Statement of the DOT on hotel rooms occupancy guidelines

PH opens doors to all foreign tourists with easing of arrival requirements starting April 1

Travel to PHL is “easier”, more fun – Puyat

DOT Launches “Sounds More Fun in the Philippines” Playlist on Spotify

DOT hopeful on higher tourism growth with downgrading of NCR, 38 areas to Alert Level 1

Intramuros visitors up by 132% in February

DOT bares higher tourist influx since reopening

Dot welcomes iatf approval to accept the national vaxcert of 12 additional countries.

PH receives 9,283 inbound tourists; DOT upbeat on higher arrivals in months ahead

Puyat: Walk-in booster shots available for Boracay visitors

All systems go for PHL reopening for international travel- Puyat

Kids’ vaccination to make family travels safe, more fun

DOT lists requirements and protocols for arriving foreign leisure guests

Save the date for the World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit in the Philippines

DOT: PH to accept fully-vaxxed tourists from visa-free countries starting Feb. 10

DOT supports ‘Pharmacy and Drive-thru Vaccination Sites’ rollout in Baguio City

DOT Launches “ASMR Experience the Philippines” Project

Dot to hold 2-day conference on english as second language (esl).

PH cities, hotels bag ASEAN tourism awards

Booster shots rolled out for fully vaxxed tourism workers; 50% of NCR hotel staff already “boosted”

DOT trains over 30,000 tourism professionals amid pandemic

Dot welcomes eased travel movement between gcq and mgcq areas for tourism revival, hotel in ‘poblacion girl” fiasco suspended, fined, intramuros gives vulnerable population a breathing space, dot launches website with exclusive travel deals for balikbayans.

Anilao Underwater Shootout stages a successful comeback

DOT’s KAIN NA! makes a comeback in Tagaytay

Dot earns unwto citation for have a safe trip, pinas ad.

Brgy. Bojo in Aloguinsan, Cebu bags UNWTO best tourism village award

More than 95% of tourism workers in dive establishments already vaccinated against covid-19: dot.

DOT: PHL to welcome Int’l tourists soon

Dot welcomes shortened quarantine days for balikbayans, dot asks lgus to simplify entry requirements in tourist spots, miceconnect 2021 positions boracay as asia’s premier bleisure destination, dot releases latest list of domestic destinations waiving rt-pcr tests for fully vaxxed visitors, dot grants incentives to fully vaccinated individuals visiting intramuros.

Statement of the DOT on waiving RT-PCR requirement to Boracay for fully vaxxed tourists

Anilao underwater ‘shootout’ is back

Puyat, dot execs pitch ph tourism in japan travel mart, dot welcomes eased restrictions in mm under alert level 2, free swab tests for domestic tourists starting nov. 1, dot lists destinations without testing requirement, with projected 100% inoculation rate by next month, boracay will soon waive rt-pcr testing for fully vaxxed visitors.

Domestic Travel Welcome-Back: DOT, TPB launch ‘It’s More Fun with You’ ad and ‘Have a Safe Trip, Pinas’ Viber Stickers

22 divers pass dot guide training in anilao.

PH cited Asia’s top beach and dive destination anew in 2021 World Travel Awards

Dot bullish on camiguin’s reopening, boosts covid-19 vax drive, dot clarifies travel guidelines for ncr residents under alert level 4, alert level 3, good for tourism jobs and businesses as holidays near – puyat, 2nd tourism & technology forum: readying for a different future.

DOT vaccination drive for tourism workers continues in Pampanga

Dot welcomes easing of age restrictions for interzonal travel, less quarantine days for travelers an ‘encouraging development’ for tourism industry – puyat.

Vaccination of Rizal tourism workers crucial to industry’s recovery — DOT

Dot welcomes siargao, palawan and boracay win in int’l travel mag awards, over 43k safety seals issued as more businesses apply, dot backs call to shorten quarantine of fully vaxxed travelers, dot calls for cooperation to ensure success of expanded operational capacity of restaurants in ncr.

DOT lauds Samar LGU vax drive for tourism workers

Message of secretary berna romulo-puyat on the celebration of world tourism day, dot ensures compliance of accredited hotels, resorts to new iatf alert level system guidelines.

Cebu vax drive for tourism workers gains traction with more than 50% inoculated

Puyat bares phl hosting of international tourism conference in march 2022.

DOT and TikTok launch #GandaMoPinas Campaign as local borders reopen

Dot invites esl teachers to free online master tesol certification course.

DOT launches “More Fun Awaits” global campaign to showcase travel preps

Statement of the department of tourism (dot), statement of the department of tourism on the inclusion of palawan in t+l’s top islands in asia, world list, more than 50% of country’s tourism workers vaccinated against covid-19 – dot chief, intramuros site visit of dot secretary berna romulo-puyat.

Intramuros sites and Rizal Park to reopen September 16

Philippines boosts participation in expo 2020 dubai, highlights pinoy food, local tourism businesses receive dot, tpb philcare kits.

DOT, partner agencies drive up promotion of Filipino food experience

More than 7.5k tourism workers in Baguio have received Covid vax – Tourism Chief

Dot, tpb distribute p19m worth of materials to promote safety protocols.

DOT, NTF bring vaccination rollout for tourism workers in Siargao Island

DOT: 95% of tourism workers in NCR vaxxed vs Covid-19

Sustainability is key to tourism industry’s recovery — puyat, dot lauds private sector for vaccine rollout in el nido.

PHITEX 2021: Beyond Business slated for September 19-23

Puyat leads vaccination drive for Pampanga tourism workers

More than 75% of Bohol tourism workers eyed for inoculation with second vaccine roll-out

More than 70% of tourism frontliners in metro manila vaccinated vs covid-19 — puyat.

DOT and TPB SUCCESSFULLY STAGED FIRST-EVER HYBRID EDITION OF THE REGIONAL TRAVEL FAIR

Dot, bpos to hold job fair, statement of the department of tourism.

DOT targets increased inoculation of tourism workers in more destinations

Puyat: More vaccines coming for Palawan tourism workers

Dot statement on nesthy petecio’s silver medal finish in the tokyo 2020 olympics, rizal park drive-thru vax site opens; puyat hails manila’s anti-covid initiative, dot gets highest coa rating for 2nd straight year, statement of the department of tourism on the passing of heritage and cultural tourism advocate mr. ramon hofileña, statement of the department of tourism (dot) on the heightened community quarantine level implementations in ncr, more tourism workers in boracay to receive covid-19 jabs – dot, dot reiterates call for safe travel amid stricter quarantine measure, dot reminds hotels, resorts that room sharing for quarantined families is allowed, dot celebrates siargao inclusion in time magazine as one of the world’s greatest places of 2021, dot launches halal food tourism, dot backs gov’t infra program to boost tourism, dot backs iloilo bid for ‘creative city of gastronomy’ recognition from unesco, statement of the department of tourism on iatf decision allowing children five years old and above, and fully vaccinated seniors to visit outdoor areas, dot partners with viber to promote kain na foodfest, dot: 3,000 boracay tourism workers to receive covid vax, dot, tpb continues to support lgus with digital transformation projects, dot teams up with scarlet belo and cartoon network to take safe trips, dot statement on the activities of the taal volcano, bakuna by the sea: dot hails davao’s innovative approach to travel, hospitality workers, dot, tpb to roll out 2nd phase of rt-pcr financial subsidy program through pcmc, dot unveils region 1 tourism recovery plan, statement of the department of tourism on the drop of tourism contribution to gdp, dot to co-stage virtual fête de la musique june 18-21, more ncr tourism workers receive support through dot-dole program, travel for tourists of all ages from ncr plus to boracay, other mgcq areas extended to june 30, dot eyes inoculation of 5,000 bohol tourism workers, museums in ncr plus to reopen on limited capacity – dot, dot turns food tourism to high heat with 2021 kain na, terms for tourism business loans eased, dot bares tourism recovery plans for bulacan, dot and tiktok launch #sarapmagingpinoy campaign to promote local food tourism, dot launches five-year plan to develop tourism professionals, dot celebrates world environment month, highlights responsible marine wildlife interactions, statement of the department of tourism (dot) on the rt-pcr requirement for leisure travelers under iatf-eid resolution 118a, statement of the dot on iatf-eid resolution 118a, more than 16k bulacan tourism workers get dot-dole cash aid, dot orders stricter monitoring of staycation hotels and aes in gcq areas following new iatf guidelines, dot lauds inclusion of frontline tourism workers in a1 priority group, dot hosts pata summit for first hybrid mice event in 2021, over 1,400 golf workers in metro manila get dot-dole cash aid.

Central Luzon to Showcase ‘Flavors of Pampanga’, readies tourists for gastronomic experience

Dot lauds ph hotels recognized with the 2021 tripadvisor awards, 3,390 tourism workers in marinduque approved to receive p16.95m dot-dole cash aid, puyat bares tourism recovery plans for marinduque, dot proposes ‘green lane’ for fully vaccinated travelers, dot hails expansion of priority vaccination to a4 cluster, including tourism frontliners, 5,986 staycation rooms open for guests from ncr plus, intramuros to open fort santiago, baluarte de san diego to visitors may 17, dot statement on the proposed vaccination center in nayong pilipino, dot welcomes iatf decision to ease travel in ncr plus, 221m cash aid approved for 44k tourism workers in western visayas, statement of the department of tourism (dot) on the collected garbage from the waters of samal island, davao del norte, statement of the department of tourism (dot) on the reported violations of a hotel in davao city, dot to host hybrid pata annual event for adventure travel, p1.5m cash aid approved for 295 intramuros tourism workers, updates on the vaccination of tourism workers, labor day vax for tourism workers, more than 400k displaced tourism workers get dot-dole cash aid, philippine tourism and mice industry to bounce back with the hosting of wttc global summit, dot, manila lgu ink mobile hospital deal, dot-accredited establishment staysafe.ph-users, eligible for safety seal certification, dot grants the wttc safe travels stamp to 33 more hotels nationwide, dot welcomes proposals to convert tourism sites to temporary medical facilities, dot lauds repurposed hotels, calls for ‘bayanihan’ vs covid, dot approves use of burnham green and quirino grandstand in rizal park for temporary mobile hospital and drive-thru vaccination site, dot celebrates saud beach inclusion in the 25 most beautiful beaches in the world list of travel and leisure, 67k displaced tourism workers of ncr+ receive dot-dole cash aid, statement of the department of tourism on the vaccination facility in nayong pilipino property, statement of the department of tourism regarding the alleged birthday “super spreader” event in boracay, dot eyes adoption of covid-19 digital travel pass, dot statement on ecq extension in ncr plus, phl, dot nominated at asia edition of 2021 world travel awards, dot pushes for inclusion of other tourism workers in priority group a4, strict new guidelines set for hotels under ecq; lenten ‘staycations’ within ncr plus suspended, dot statement on ecq for ncr+ areas, dot statement on holy week, rizal park and paco park adjust visiting hours, remain open for physical exercise, dot statement on biatf measures for boracay, tpb philippines spearheads tourism and technology forum (ttf), dot statement on coron tourist with falsified travel documents, dot supports rizal tourism circuit on food, faith, art, adventure and nature, the ‘fun’ continues: philippines joins digital itb berlin, dot to spur domestic tourism in rizal, dot’s stdp program to enhance resiliency of phl destinations – puyat, dot sustains online presence with ‘wake up in ph’ campaign and safety travel advisories, dot greenlights partial operations of hotel restaurants on june 15, dot eyes tourism recovery as more destinations may reopen, domestic travel to drive recovery of tourism industry, says survey, dot hails revival of tourist cops, tourism will recover well, dot chief vows, dot celebrates hidden beach, palawan’s inclusion in cnt’s best beaches in the world, tourism industry hikes share in gdp to 13%; puyat sees strong recovery from pandemic, dot pushes stringent guidelines for stakeholders across the nation, biatf denounces travelers’ breach of entry protocol to boracay, dot lauds partnership model for safe and sustainable tourism in boracay, dot issues guidelines on tourist land transport services, iatf–eid resolution reiterates ‘dot certificate of authority’ as requisite to operate, dot issues protocols on restaurant operations under the new normal, dot welcomes ph ‘rising stars in travel’ citation by forbes.com, dot, dti to roll out health and safety guidelines, digital solutions for restaurants, dot, attached agencies promote digital tourism, tourism chief reminds hotels, resorts: no dot certificate, no business operations during mgcq, dot assists 36,000 tourists during covid-19 crisis, dot webinar tackles digital as the new normal, dot welcomes the resumption of tourism operations in areas under mgcq, trust and health safety key to phl tourism recovery – dot chief, puyat on reopening tourism: ‘do it slowly but surely’, dot brings home 84 tourists stranded in eastern visayas, dot supports coron’s sustainable tourism development to bounce back, dot welcomes puerto princesa reopening to domestic tourists, dot urges for more wttc safe travels stamp applications, boracay’s white beach, el nido’s nacpan beach among tripadvisor’s top beaches in asia, dot statement on uniform travel protocols, dot supports the safe reopening of negros oriental, puyat affirms support for siquijor’s reopening, dot statement on el nido’s swift action against tourists with false covid test records, dot supports dilg’s streamlining of travel requirements, dot assists 98 stranded tourists in western mindanao, dot assists 246 tourists stranded in bicol, dot response team assists 1004 tourists stranded in caraga region, statement of tourism secretary bernadette romulo-puyat, dot8 springs stranded tourists, total assisted travelers now at 11,000, dot assists stranded tourists in central luzon, dot response teams assist over 10,000 travelers, dot announces the guidelines on hotels and other accommodation establishments during the enhanced community quarantine, dot chief: innovation to spur food tourism in new normal, dot webinar tackles heritage site conservation and use amid pandemic, dot banners “filipino brand of service”; assists over 35,000 tourists amid pandemic, dot to jumpstart domestic tourism under stricter protocols with iatf and lgus, dot partners with wttc to share experts’ tourism outlook, recovery plans, dot regulates hotel food deliveries, dot: tourism industry up to tough challenges on path to recovery, more than 155,000 tourism sector workers receive first tranche of dof wage subsidy program, dot mounts sweeper flights; brings home 1000 stranded domestic tourists, dot webinar tackles recovery, future of phl’s m.i.c.e., statement of the department of tourism (dot) on the iatf–eid authorization to mount sweeper flights, statement of secretary bernadette romulo puyat on the passing of former dot secretary ramon jimenez, jr., dot–ncr assists 24,000 in–transit nationals amid ecq of luzon, dot and ssi support philippine food producers in online philippine harvest, dot provides virtual backgrounds for video calls to encourage “travel from home”, dot offers online “enhanced opportunity” training for tourism stakeholders, dot-region 6 delivers filipino brand of service in crisis, dot outlines tourism response, post–covid 19 recovery plan to aid private sector, dot issues guidelines defining “new normal” for accommodation establishments, 24,836 hotel rooms reserved for ofws’ quarantine, bpo staff use – dot chief, stranded tourists welcome extended stay in batanes, dot welcomes lifting of travel ban for outbound passengers, recovery flights, tourism transport to continue for stranded passengers, statement of the department of tourism (dot) on covid-19 local transmission, dot statement on the curfew recommendation for lgus, dot, turkish airlines form partnership to increase philippine tourism from europe and mediterranean source markets, dot celebrates first run of the philippine international hot air balloon fiesta in calabarzon, puyat convenes tourism council; invites public to travel within ph, international visitor receipts hit usd 9.31b in 2019, 20.81% up from 2018, dot postpones nationwide mall sale to prioritize safety of citizens, department of tourism unveils new ad inspired by the abakada alphabet, highlighting unique filipino culture, puyat advocates for cultural and ecotourism in the new normal, relive the history of intramuros city with augmented reality app experience philippines, dot: 1st phl shopping fest kicks off march 1st, doh, dilg and dot give public gatherings green light, 2019 international arrivals exceed target with 8.26 million visitors to the philippines, dot welcomes lifting of taiwan travel ban, joint statement of the department of tourism and tourism congress of the philippines, dot backs “balik sa bohol” for tourism industry revival, intramuros reopens in the new normal, relaxed and standard health protocols, personalized trips key to tourism recovery, says latest philippine travel survey, dot files falsification raps against boracay tourists with forged covid test results, dot: reclassification of industries to hasten recovery, dot statement following the president’s latest directive to contain the ncov, guidelines in handling guests in tourism enterpises in the advent of ncov global health emergency, puyat eyes isabela as top agro-ecotourism destination, dot, dti inspect hotels and restaurants’ compliance with health and safety protocols, dot chief checks readiness of palawan, fresh produce at your doorstep, courtesy of dot–grab tie–up, dot ‘seal of good housekeeping’ boosts confidence among restos amid pandemic – puyat, dot celebrates as palawan reclaims best island in the world citation, tourism chief bullish on english schools’ recovery, dot, fao team up for sustainable farm tourism in ph, meetings, conventions allowed only under mgcq at 50% capacity – dot, boracay now open to youths, seniors from region, dot chief lauds senate approval of bayanihan 2 on final reading, cites plans for 10b stimulus fund, “think out of the box,” tourism industry urged in dot webinar, dot assures tourist stakeholders of all–out support for slow reopening, puyat meets with bohol execs to tackle tourism situation, recovery plans, dot, cloud panda ph launches phl harvest e-commerce site, statement of dot, dot to scale up baguio’s ridge to reef travel bubble plan across phl, dot celebrates “surprisingly spectacular diving” tag of 3 phl dive sites by lonely planet, phl bags best overseas diving award 2020, statement of department of tourism, dot’s phidex 2020 goes digital, dot-dole amended jmc further expands coverage of beneficiaries, dot welcomes new protocols for arriving passengers, dot bats for a more fun, safe and sustainable laguna, dot chief: green corridors are critical to tourism recovery, dot statement on destination test requirements, dot statement on boracay tourists, dot welcomes asean as a single tourism destination, iatf allows baguio hotels to receive domestic tourists under gcq, raising the bar of filipino hospitality with the leadership excellence series 2021, dot lauds inclusion of tourism frontliners in priority group for vaccination, dot’s ‘kain na’ cooks up online food fest, phl hosts 3rd asean meet on tourism professionals; dot commits to beef up competency of tourism workforce in the new normal, safety marshalls to ensure physical distancing when beaches, resorts reopen, 10,000 bpo jobs for displaced tourism workers, zero interest loans, no collateral, easy terms for distressed tourism businesses, puyat to grace baguio reopening; dot to go big on domestic tourism in 2021, chocolate, coffee, tea take centerstage in dot’s kain na food festival, dot receives safetravels stamp from world tourism body, puyat launches baguio’s vis.i.t.a. platform, reopening of boracay to more markets builds momentum for domestic tourism revival, puyat: even in most unusual ways, tourism must stay alive, message of tourism secretary bernadette romulo-puyat on the celebration of the world tourism day, dot statement on the city garden grand hotel, dot chief supports negrense cookbook launch, vows continued support to thriving food tourism scene in western visayas, dot statement on the closure of makati shangri-la hotel, dot pledges to help negros occidental get ready for more domestic tourists, dot welcomes the first two recipients of the wttc safe travel stamp, dot statement on baguio party incident, dot welcomes iatf decision to allow balikbayans, dot launches “have a safe trip, pinas” to promote safe travels and support tourism workers, dot celebrates ph’s victory as world’s leading dive destination and tourist attraction for intramuros in 2020, dot welcomes coron’s reopening on dec. 1 with health and safety measures in place, dot aims for data-driven response to tourism recovery under new normal with survey, dot backs enhanced contact tracing; announces low-cost covid tests with up-pgh for boracay-bound tourists, puyat encourages affected tourism workforce to avail of the expanded dot-dole financial assistance, dot welcomes strides to reboot mice, puyat visits batangas, shores up dive tourism, statement of the dot on cebu resort incident, dot presents virtual concert to promote manila’s cultural heritage sites, dot, makatimed foundation forge partnership for tourism destination health security, dot launches webinar training on reducing single-use plastics for hospitality sector, dot to assist zambales in safe and gradual tourism reopening, dot bats for uniform lgu travel requirements, dot, tpb promote pinoy christmas through music, dot’s 2020 kain na satisfies christmas cravings on fourth leg, dot’s 2020 kain na satisfies christmas cravings on fourth leg, dot prepares local destinations, accommodation establishments for wttc safe travels stamp application, 27,000 displaced tourism workers of car receive dot-dole financial assistance, dot backs temporary suspension of flights from uk, dot inspires balikbayans to come home with ‘balikan ang pilipinas’ campaign, dot, tpb expand rt-pcr financial subsidy program for 11,600 tourists through pcmc, dot reiterates penalties for quarantine hotels used for staycation and other purposes, dot supports strict entry protocols in light of new covid-19 variant, dot reiterates rule on staycation hotels, dot celebrates boracay and palawan inclusion in conde nast’s 25 best island beaches in the world list, dot issues guidelines for safe ‘staycation’, dot accreditation goes digital, boracay reopens, heralds “safe, gradual” revival of philippine tourism, dot gets coa’s highest rating on 2019 audit, dot sees domestic tourism boom in baguio with affordable antigen testing, phl islands named top favorites by int’l travel magazine, dot welcomes reopening of ilocos norte to luzon tourists on oct 15, dot funds rt-pcr testing of boracay tourism workers, dot inks tourism “cares for travel” msme loan program with sb corp, health, safety rules drawn up for recreational diving, batangas now open to divers – dot, puyat reminds ‘staycation hotels’ to follow rules, protocols, dot welcomes baguio city’s opening to guests from luzon starting oct. 22, dot statement on the opening of ilocos sur starting nov 15, ridge and reef corridor heralds domestic tourism recovery, puyat – hotels in gcq, mgcq may now be allowed to operate at full capacity, pra to amend retirement policies, suspends processing of srrv applications, dot supports expansion of palawan’s travel bubble starting oct. 30, tourism chief bats for covid-19 tests price cap, dot urges tourism businesses to avail of sb corp’s covid-19 loan program, dot leadership excellence series returns anew, dot statement on the inclusion of palawan and boracay in big 7 travel’s list of 50 most beautiful places, dot, tpb launch official philippine travel app, dot, dole agree on guidelines for cash-for-work program for displaced tourism workers, tour guides, dot’s kain na takes on food trips for november, intramuros is now asia’s leading tourist attraction the philippines and dot receive accolades at the 2020 world travel awards asia winners day, statement of the department of tourism on prrd’s signing of eo 118, dot inks mou on tourism education, training, dot partners with nissan to promote ‘safe trips’, dot allows operation of 7,200 hotels, resorts, dot lauds ibagiw 2020, baguio’s creative city festival, dot welcomes reopening of phl’s surfing capital, siargao, ridge and reef travel corridor expands to ilocos sur, dot chief visits baguio city, touts cultural tourism with creative crawls, sec. puyat to grace 2020 bambanti festival, dot allocates p340.7m for iloilo tourism infrastructure development, tourist arrivals mark 7.4m in november, up by 15.58%, safety of tourists is dot’s top priority – sec. puyat, dot, cab collaborate to enhance air passenger’s bill of rights, statement of the department of tourism, 2nd statement of the department of tourism, dot thanks smart for emergency satellite phones, dot–dotr meet to boost tourism infra, connectivity; puyat to push approval of 1b for night–rated airports, dot chief to visit, vows to revitalize baguio, tourism chief: phl one with asean in responding to covid crisis.

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Philippines Tourism: Post-Pandemic Recovery Under Way In 2024

Tourism / Philippines / Wed 31 Jan, 2024

Key View: We retain our view that the Philippines’ tourist arrival levels will fully recover to their pre-pandemic levels in 2024, after the country recorded a strong 2023 with over 5mn tourists arriving over the full year. In 2024 we project the Philippines' tourist arrivals will grow to 8.21mn. The country’s continued recovery from the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic will be driven by increasing arrivals from key source markets in Asia, Europe and North America (primarily the US). Over our medium term forecast period (2024-2028) we forecast tourist arrivals to the Philippines will continue to expand with the market offering tourists from its key source markets a relatively affordable destination, which benefit from easy access (low level entry requirements) and strong transport links.

In January 2023, the Philippines Department of Tourism reported the country’s tourist arrivals for December 2023 had reached 514,416. The December 2023 figures brings the market’s total arrivals for the year to 5,003,475. The reported arrivals figures for 2023 stand at 61.1% of their pre-pandemic level in 2019 (8.19mn arrivals) and slightly higher than BMI’s projection of 4.9mn arrivals for 2023. South Korea, which has historically been the Philippines' largest arrivals source market, retained its ranking in 2023, making up 26.4% of arrivals for the year.

Strong Month On Month Increase In Arrivals Over 2023

Philippines – cumulative 2023 monthly arrivals & 2024 arrivals forecast.

We forecast the Philippines’ arrivals to grow by 64.0% y-o-y in 2024 to reach 8.21mn arrivals. This would be a full recovery in arrivals, as well as being higher than the 8.19mn arrivals welcomed in 2019. We believe the growth and recovery in arrivals over 2024 will primarily be driven by increasing arrivals from key source markets, such as South Korea, Mainland China, the US, Japan, and Australia. We forecast the country’s arrivals to continue to increase over the remainder of our 2024-2028 forecast, reaching a projected 9.5mn arrivals in 2028. This represents an average annual growth rate of 15.8% y-o-y over 2024-2028.

We note that there are short term risks to our outlook for the Philippines arrivals stemming from heightened consumer inflation in the Philippine’s key source markets. We expect inflationary pressures to ease over 2024, but consumers will remain price sensitive in the short term and this is likely to be reflected in increased travel to domestic and short haul destinations, a trade down from long-haul international destinations, which have a higher price point. Nevertheless, the Philippines is a relatively affordable travel destination, and we expect it to particularly benefit from strong regional arrivals, due to its proximity and strong transport links with its key Asia source markets.

This commentary is published by BMI, a Fitch Solutions company, and is not a comment on Fitch Ratings Credit Ratings. Any comments or data included in the report are solely derived from BMI and independent sources. Fitch Ratings analysts do not share data or information with BMI. Copyright © 2023 Fitch Solutions Group Limited. All rights reserved. 30 North Colonnade, London E14 5GN, UK.

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Tourism From The Report: Philippines 2021 View in Online Reader

Tourism played a central role in the Philippines’ economic development in the years leading to 2020, and an increasing emphasis on sustainability underscores the sector’s importance for the coming years. While the popular island of Boracay has long drawn tourists, local authorities continue work to diversify destinations through the creation of tourism enterprise zones. These endeavours, as well as those aimed at widening source markets, have laid the groundwork for an expanded yet more tailored offering. Although the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic heavily impacted tourism, Philippine policymakers and stakeholders are looking to adapt the sector’s offering and prioritise domestic tourism to support the national recovery. Enhanced health and safety measures have been implemented to align hotels, tourism sites and other services with the demands of the new normal. Meanwhile, a shift towards digitalisation and the use of technology to upskill the workforce are readying the sector for the future. This chapter contains an interview with Aileen Clemente, Chairman and President, Rajah Travel.

Articles from this Chapter

The future of travel: private players and government agencies work to create a safe and sustainable tourism ecosystem for the post-pandemic environment obg plus.

Tourism played a central role in the Philippines’ economic development in the years leading to 2020, and an increasing emphasis on sustainability and responsibility underscores the sector’s importance for the years to come. While the popular island of Boracay has long drawn tourists, local authorities continue work to diversify destinations through the creation of tourism enterprise zones (TEZs). These endeavours, as well as those aimed at widening source markets, have laid the groundwork…

Reboot button: Health and hygiene measures complement digitalisation efforts in a bid to prepare for tourism’s new normal OBG plus

The global tourism industry has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, as border closures and travel restrictions prevented tourists from venturing overseas. In emerging markets such as the Philippines the slump in international tourism took a heavy toll on local communities that depend on the industry for their livelihoods, as well as starved these countries of a vital source of foreign exchange. Tourism generated P4.7trn ($93.5bn) for the Philippine economy in 2019 and supported nearly…

Ensuring resilience: Aileen Clemente, Chairman and President, Rajah Travel, on making changes to support the sector’s recovery OBG plus

Interview:Aileen Clemente In what ways has the government supported travel and tourism operators during the pandemic? AILEEN CLEMENTE: The Department of Tourism (DOT) provided adequate guidance to travel and tour operators on the day-to-day situation, and on government programmes that could assist tourists and tourism enterprises affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time the DOT engaged the Tourism Congress of the Philippines, which is the private sector body for tourism, in preparation…

Greener pastures: Governments in Asia Pacific are working to protect top destinations from overdevelopment and environmental damage OBG plus

Tourism in the Asia-Pacific region has seen impressive growth in recent years, aided by cheaper air fares, an expanding consumer class and increased exposure brought about by improved internet connectivity. Although these developments have led to significant economic benefits for countries across the region, they have also had some negative consequences, particularly for the environment. Around 133.1m visitors travelled to ASEAN countries in 2019, up from 129.2m in 2018 and 125.7m in 2017.…

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Tourism Boom In The Philippines: Foreign Visitor Arrivals Reach 71.4% Of Target

27-8-2023 (MANILA) The Philippines has seen a significant surge in foreign tourist arrivals this year, with at least 3.4 million visitors flocking to the country’s shores, equivalent to 71.4% of the tourism sector’s target, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO). The government aims to welcome more than 85 million domestic travelers as well, the PCO said.

In a bid to attract more tourists, the Philippines has introduced an online e-visa system, streamlining the visa application process for foreign visitors. The move is expected to draw in more visitors to the South-East Asian country, known for its picturesque beaches and vibrant culture.

Official data shows that the Philippines received over 2.65 million foreign tourists in 2022, generating US$3.84 billion in revenue, which accounts for 6.2% of the country’s GDP.

Airlines and tourism companies are expanding their services in the Philippines, anticipating a tourism boom in a country that has finally lifted some of the world’s tightest Covid-related restrictions. The Philippines is currently hosting the basketball World Cup, which is expected to draw in even more visitors.

Airlines operating in the country have stopped requiring passengers to wear face masks, and have taken measures to enhance passenger convenience and expand their routes. These moves were made possible by the government lifting its strict Covid public health emergency late last month.

The Philippines’ tourism industry is optimistic about the future, with the easing of travel restrictions and the introduction of the e-visa system expected to attract more visitors to the country. The government’s target of 4.8 million foreign visitors this year seems within reach, and the sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP is expected to grow.

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WTTC’s Latest Economic Impact Report Reveals Significant Recovery in the Philippines Travel & Tourism Sector in 2021

Travel & Tourism jobs in the Philippines increased by 20.5%

Fourth fastest Travel & Tourism GDP growth rate for any country in the world in 2021

MANILA, Philippines: The World Travel & Tourism Council’s latest Economic Impact Report revealed last year the Philippine’s Travel & Tourism contribution to the nation’s economy climbed 129.5.% year on year, to reach US$ 41 billion.

Following an 80% decline, this impressive rise saw it ranked as the world’s fourth fastest growing economy during 2021.

News of the sector’s growing revival from the pandemic was revealed today by Julia Simpson, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council ( WTTC ), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, at its prestigious Global Summit in the Philippines.

It was delivered in the capital, Manila, before more than 1,000 delegates from across the global Travel & Tourism sector, including CEOs, business leaders, government ministers, travel experts and the international media.

WTTC’s Economic Impact Report (EIR) for the Philippines shows that in 2021, the sector supported 7.8 million jobs, representing a substantial 20.5% rise in 2020, compared with a global increase of 6.7%.

Before the pandemic, the Philippines Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to GDP was 22.5% of the total economy (worth US$92.6 billion). However, due to damaging travel restrictions it then plunged by 80.7% to a mere US$ 17.8 billion, dropping to just a 4.8% share towards the country’s GDP.

But in 2021 this rose to US$ 41 billion, representing a 10.4% share of the nation’s total economy, which signals the recovery of the sector is well underway.

The latest EIR also takes a forward look at the sector with the global tourism body forecasting that the Philippines Travel & Tourism contribution to GDP will grow by 6.7% over the next decade, exceeding the expected country's overall economy average growth rate of just 5.6%.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Our latest EIR for the Philippines signals the astonishing recovery of the country’s Travel & Tourism sector.

“Resulting in a massive employment boost for the sector, leading to the recovery of 1.3 million more jobs compared to the previous year. Our expert analysis shows that the economy has turned a corner and is firmly on the road to recovery.”

As a result, WTTC forecasts that the Philippines Travel & Tourism contribution to GDP could be worth in excess of US$ 155 billion in 2032, accounting for 21.4% of the whole economy.

With Travel & Tourism employment forecast to grow annually by an average of 3% over the next 10 years, nearly three million new jobs could be created, accounting for 21.5% of all jobs in the Philippines.

WTTC’s 2022 EIR marks a vast change in fortunes for the embattled Travel & Tourism sector in the country, which was left reeling by the impact of the pandemic but is now firmly on the road to recovery.

Download the press release .

China’s Travel & Tourism Sector Set to Recover by More Than 60% This Year, Reveals WTTC

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UK Travel & Tourism Sector Sees a Massive Job Shortfall of More Than 200,000 This Year, Says WTTC Report

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Revenge tourism fueling post-pandemic tourist boom

Leony Garcia
May 18, 2022
5 minute read

After two years of lockdowns and movement restrictions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, Filipinos have finally found the best revenge: to travel.

Indeed, many Filipinos nowadays are on traveling mode and are actually traveling more than before. The Department of Tourism (DOT) has affirmed that revenge travel is real and has become an organic phenomenon.

“Revenge tourism is fueling the post-pandemic tourist boom and ever since the Philippines opened up to international leisure travel in February, we have seen a gradual rise in arrivals both from foreigners and our balikbayans. Domestic travel which is actually 85 percent of tourism contribution to the GDP has been on an upswing as well ever since the different local destinations have re-opened with fewer restrictions,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said in her opening remarks during the BusinessMirror Coffee Club forum titled, “The Philippines and Revenge Tourism – Are We Ready?”

Romulo said the agency has consistently focused on not just to getting back to normal but to paving the way for a better normal. This will be achieved through the rebuilding of the nation’s tourism industry in a way that will make it stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive.

“So, despite the image that revenge travel conjures of crazy people rushing to crowd the beaches, what we are actually experiencing is that people will be traveling more thoughtfully. They want to immerse themselves and experience more things while being aware of the negative impacts that over-tourism brings. Revenge travel is real but so is our determination to save our spots and make tourism in the Philippines more fun for everyone,” she said.

Charles Bautista, Deputy Chief Operating Officer for Marketing and Promotions of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) agreed that the tourism sector is fully prepared for leisure tourists as well as “very much ready to become a strong MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) destination in this new normal.”

“Today, we make sure that we are facilitating vaccination across the different tourism industries for our different frontliners in hotels, airlines, and restaurants to make sure that when we re-open our borders all our tourism workers are already vaccinated and prepared to welcome guests in the new normal,” he said.

Bautista said that part of TPB’s work also includes a visit to all destinations and making sure that they comply with the prescribed health and safety protocols.

“And at the same time to see if they are ready to take in tourists or determine the number of tourists they can take in and making sure that all our members and their tourism facilities are up to date,” he added.

Fe Abling-Yu, president of the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), was happy to note that the country’s tour operators have continually validated destinations as early as October 2020 and ended this April 2021.

“Our focus right now is domestic tourism. We develop new destinations in the process. I think this is one of the very good effects brought about by the pandemic. Let’s take it on a very positive side now. We were able to discover more of the Philippines. There are many places to visit in the Philippines, places that we should patronize,” Abling-Yu said.

Ready for a better normal

Meanwhile, several big names and established hospitality groups have fully adjusted to the new normal. In fact, they intend to go the extra mile not just to accommodate revenge travelers but to make each and every traveler safe.

Margarita Fuentes Munsayac, VP for Sales and Marketing of Bluewater Resorts, said the resort made a lot of adjustments to meet the post-pandemic requirements.

Munsayac said Bluewater’s most of the recent investments were geared towards addressing the health and safety protocols such as the putting up of washbasins at all entrances and the disinfection/cleaning process of their rooms. She added that they spent three months studying and reviewing the guidelines of the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases).

Further, Bluewater had to speed up its digital road map to come up with contactless check-ins/check-outs and ordering of food from the resort’s restaurants, among many others.

“And we never closed Bluewater Malibago throughout the pandemic. In sales and marketing, we really went into alternative market segments wherein the health and safety protocols were very important. We had the alternative market of the BPOs and in the succeeding months we had to address being a quarantine facility,” Munsayac said.

These experiences, Munsayac said, have helped trained her people to get used to the health protocols which are still in place. These also enhanced the resort’s customer experience for Filipino hospitality.

“Pre-pandemic, Bluewater Resorts were catering to 80 percent foreign guests. So we had to shift gear. We had to be more specific to our local markets. You know, Filipinos as travelers are more demanding and are picky about destinations. We had to look closely into this and you know this will be the norm. The new normal will always be about this: We had to provide them the experience of the Filipino hospitality but at the same time be very stringent about health and safety protocols,” she said.

Demanding and price conscious

Alex Aquino, Head Marketing, Swisshotel Clark, Widus Hotel and Casino agreed that Filipino travelers tend to be demanding, price-conscious, and always on the lookout for value of money.

“So we really have to adapt, listen and understand what they really need. We were resilient and adaptive to what the customers need. More than the guests we also need to make our staff feel safe, comfortable, and confident that their working environment is safe. That’s for them to say we feel safe and we could also make our customers feel safe, too,” Aquino said.

“Swisshotel just opened its door last March. But we were already fully operational during the Holy Week season. Our other property, Widus Hotel and Casino, operated during the pandemic and was never closed to cater to our customers,” he added.

For Sue Geminiano, Marketing Manager of Hotel Sogo, the property did its share for the new normal protocol adjustments.

“We added more sophisticated ways of disinfecting. We had a UVC light for disinfection and this is used every after use of the room. We also had the UV filter in all our air-conditioning units so that all the air that passes through the aircon would be filtered more than the normal filtering. We also double our airway exchange,” she said.

The Sogo Group also boasts of 11 anti-covid innovations which it intends to continue “for us to protect ourselves and our guests. We also had these Covid sniffer dogs which does preliminary screening of our employees before they go on duty. Our automatic thermal scan-controlled doors do not open if one’s body temperature is above normal.”

To further ensure the safety of its guests, Sogo Hotel now does online reservations. Aside from online booking agencies like Agoda, Booking.com, Speeda, and Everything Online, it now does online reservations through its website and social media fan pages.

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How Chinese visitors could boost Philippine tourism in pandemic’s wake

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How Chinese visitors could boost Philippine tourism in pandemic’s wake

TOURISM DEAL. Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Culture and Tourism Minister Hu Heping sign a deal on bilateral tourism cooperation on January 4, 2023.

Department of Tourism

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine tourism industry still has a long way to go before hitting pre-pandemic levels – but the return of Chinese visitors in the hundreds of thousands may just help us get there faster.

Countries all over the world are already welcoming Chinese visitors back with open arms. Hotels in Singapore have prepared packages for Chinese visitors who will be there to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Meanwhile, a Japanese tour bus firm has similarly readied the revival of its Chinese-language tour.

The Philippines has big plans, too. The Department of Tourism (DOT) warmed up to the Chinese market during the three-day state visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to China. The DOT and its counterpart China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism signed an implementation program on tourism cooperation between China and the Philippines. The deal promotes “bilateral tourism cooperation” between the two countries in an effort to revive an industry waylaid by the pandemic.

Even before the deal, Philippine tourism was already picking up. In a press release on January 2, the DOT said that it logged 2.65 million international visitor arrivals in 2022, well above the department’s target. That, of course, also meant a boost in tourism revenue. That year, travelers brought in P208.96 billion – a more than 2,000% jump from the same period in 2021.

But remember, the pandemic was still very much ravaging the world in 2021, so using figures in that year as a benchmark may paint a deceptively rosy picture. See in this line graph just how far we’ve fallen from our pre-pandemic tourism levels.

To be clear, it was not just Philippine tourism that took a beating during the pandemic. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), tourism suffered its worst crisis in history at the peak of COVID-19 in 2020, with international arrivals dropping by 74% . Since then, global tourism has speedily recovered up to 65% of its pre-pandemic levels.

However, the number of arrivals in Asia and the Pacific has lagged, according to UNWTO. This is where the crucial role of China comes in. China, among the biggest tourist markets for countries in the region, kept its borders mostly shuttered.

But that was all set to change when in late 2022, China made a surprise U-turn on its strict zero-COVID policy. Already, Asian countries are preparing for an influx of Chinese tourists. Among them is the Philippines, which has consistently counted China among its top 3 tourist markets. (READ: Asia’s tourist hotspots prepare for boom as China relaxes COVID-19 rules )

Before understanding why international arrivals from China are so integral to our tourism industry, we first need to take a deeper look at the people who came to the country in 2022.

Philippine tourism in 2022

Since the Philippines reopened its borders to travelers on February 15, 2022, it welcomed visitors from nearly every country. Here’s a map visualizing all Philippine-bound international arrivals in 2022, with data coming from the DOT’s monitoring of arrivals from February to December 2022.

In the map below, international arrivals are grouped by nationality, with their respective origin region shaded to represent the number of visitors coming from their area. Hover over the map to see specific numbers.

Returning overseas Filipinos comprised the majority of international arrivals in 2022, with 628,445 making the journey home. The rest of the 2.02 million arrivals consisted of foreign tourists, with American and South Korean visitors accounting for almost half of all tourist arrivals.

Here’s the breakdown of the country’s top 10 tourist markets:

United States – 505,089
South Korea – 428,014
Australia – 137,974
Canada – 121,413
United Kingdom – 101,034
Japan – 99,557
Singapore – 53,448
India – 51,542
Malaysia – 46,805
China – 39,627

Comparing the top 10 tourist markets in 2022 to pre-pandemic years, what immediately sticks out is the massive drop in international arrivals from China. China, along with the US and South Korea, has traditionally been among the top three foreign tourist markets in the Philippines.

And while tourists from the US and South Korea have already started trickling back into the country, the number of international arrivals from China has been limited, dropping to 10th place.

So what happened to Chinese tourists?

Take a look at how the country's top tourist markets have changed from 2010 to 2022, and keep an eye on how international arrivals from China have steadily grown – only to crash following the pandemic.

Recovery has been slow in large part due to President Xi Jinping's strict zero-COVID policy, which has restricted the movement of people and production in factories. For instance, in the first half of 2022, China began hard lockdowns in Shanghai.

Bankers and traders in the bustling city's financial districts slept in offices and lived off instant noodles to keep the country's financial markets turning. Snap lockdowns of buildings, routine mass PCR testing, and mandatory quarantines kept Chinese citizens on their toes for most of the year.

This extended to travel restrictions outside the country as well. China required returning travelers to have seven days of centralized quarantine along with three days of self-isolation. Travelers also had to go through a combination of PCR and antigen tests, on top of also securing a "health code" from the local embassy. This has all worked to discourage Chinese citizens from traveling at all, except for the most pressing of business – never mind for mere sightseeing.

Recently, this has begun to change as President Xi committed to a full reopening of his country’s borders. Quarantine requirements for returning travelers were removed while China also resumed issuing passports and travel visas for mainland residents. (READ: China reopens borders in final farewell to zero-COVID )

What can we expect?

The Philippines is banking on cash-rich Chinese visitors to bolster its tourism industry. And it seems that in the case of Boracay – with its glittering sand – China is eager to oblige. The Chinese ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xillian already met with Aklan officials and business groups on January 9, just as Boracay prepares to welcome back its biggest tourist market.

“We talked about the possibility of the return of Chinese tourists soon. We are happy about his visit,” Malay Mayor Floribar Bautista said in a phone interview with Rappler.

Pre-pandemic, Chinese tourists had dominated arrivals in Boracay. Nearly 150,000 Chinese visitors came to the island in 2018, with the number of tourists growing by only 46% the following year.

“There used to be 20-plus direct flights from China per week and almost 400,000 tourists yearly to Boracay before the pandemic. China is opening up again for international travel, and anticipates more Chinese outbound tourists later this year,” said the ambassador.

Chinese ambassador’s Boracay visit hints at return of biggest tourist market

The DOT has also laid the groundwork for a wider revival of warm tourism ties with the Implementation Program signed during the President's recent state visit.

“This implementation program with China will generate massive employment opportunities and investments across all sectors of tourism throughout the Philippines," Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said in a statement.

The deal broadly gives assurances that the two countries will mutually support development of their hotels, resorts, cruise, port, tourism products, and competency standards. Joint workshops and training sessions for cruise and port development, lake development, tourism security measures, tourism market and industry research are also in the works.

"Our governments will work together on increasing tourist arrivals, resuming and adding direct flights to key and emerging destinations, joint promotional activities, and inviting tourism investments in infrastructure, among others,” Frasco emphasized.

Both countries are also expected to support the other's travel fairs and tourism expeditions, with a renewed awareness about environmental protection and sustainable development.

“Among the salient points of this Implementation Program is to advocate the best practices and knowledge in sustainable tourism which includes the promotion of eco-friendly products and services," the tourism chief said, adding that both governments would also encourage investments in tourism infrastructure.

What about COVID-19?

However, China's recent COVID-19 surge threatens to hurt tourism before it even begins its recovery. Japan, South Korea, the US, and Canada have all increased restrictions on arrivals from China, such as requiring pre-departure or arrival COVID-19 tests and limiting flights.

For many tourist hot spots, the choice has become a delicate balancing act between economic recovery and pandemic safety. Chinese tourists represented the world’s largest outbound travel market in 2019. In the same year, Chinese tourists contributed $2.33 billion of the $9.31 billion in Philippine tourism revenue. Setting stricter quarantine measures could mean losing out on billions in revenue, should tourists be dismayed.

That in mind, countries have made varied adjustments to their health protocols. For instance, Thailand has been quick to remove vaccination requirements for inbound travelers ahead of an expected rush of Chinese tourists. Australia and Germany have also said they would not impose additional requirements for Chinese travel. The US, on the other hand, has required COVID-19 tests on travelers from China.

Currently, travelers arriving in the Philippines are only required to present a negative COVID-19 test if they are partially vaccinated or unvaccinated. Despite reporting on January 4 that eight unvaccinated Filipinos from China tested positive for COVID-19, the Department of Health does not yet see the need to tighten travel restrictions on arrivals from China.

Why PH not keen on tightening borders for China travelers

Nevertheless, Frasco was optimistic that the reopening of the country and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions would allow the tourism industry to further recover in 2023. She added that the DOT is aiming for 4.8 million international arrivals as its baseline target for 2023.

“In the recent past, we have overcome a global pandemic, survived various calamities, and thrived throughout a host of many other challenges, yet, the Philippine tourism industry has managed to exceed expectations and our tourism partners and frontliners continue to offer the best of Filipino grace and hospitality to the world,” said the tourism chief in a New Year’s Eve message. – Rappler.com

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On the front lines of Philippine tourism

HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRIPE-VINE: OUR NEW ABNORMAL

The other week saw me at the Lanson Place, attending the HSMA General Membership Meeting and media launch of this year’s HSMA Virtus Awards – the landmark 10th year that the awards are being held. HSMA is the Hotel Sales & Marketing Association Philippines, and it was very interesting to engage in the tourism “shop talk.” On board was Capt. Stanley Ng, president and COO of Philippine Airlines, as he was the lunch’s keynote speaker.

Interesting because assembled in the function room were the frontliners of Philippine tourism. You had representatives from the airline flying in these arrivals to our country, and from the hotels and resorts that provide accommodations to these foreign visitors. They’re also the lifeblood of what makes domestic tourism click; and help drive our tourism industry to be such a great source of employment, and an important contributor to the annual GNP.

One key takeaway from a number of the speakers that afternoon was that while being hosted by a sales and marketing coalition, the consistent refrain was how innovation and revenue were both now key to moving forward and enhancing the tourist experience – that it wasn’t just about sales and marketing. I had just arrived from a four-day stay at Fukuoka the previous night, so there was a lot I shared in terms of visitor experience – but I’ll touch on that later.

I liked this mention of innovation and revenue, as it dovetails nicely with the sustainability mantra of people, planet and profit. Too often, we treat revenue and/or profit like it’s some dirty word. And yet, the fact remains that you can have the best of intentions, the most wonderful service and amenities; but if you aren’t keeping an eye out on revenue and profit, as it’s not a bottomless pit of capital and subsidizing, the “well” will soon run dry. You’ll then be talked about as last year’s gallant enterprise, “ahead of it’s time,” or whatever cliche is brought out to describe a now defunct operation – and that’s just the painful truth.

Innovation was similarly key, because in a post-pandemic world, one cannot trot out the same formulaic offerings, or think it’s just a matter of reset. Understanding the needs and wants of a changing, younger market is crucial for surviving. And I loved how both Stanley Ng and Loleth So (president, HSMA) were echoing these same sentiments, as an exhortation to be resilient. Any entity connected with tourism needs to understand and embrace this change, customizing their response. Philippine Airlines for example, has the unusual situation where their international flights represents only 40 percent of their passenger load, but accounts for 80 percent of their revenues.

The HSMA Virtus Awards is on it’s 10th iteration, and culminates in October. It’s extra significant as it coincides with the 45th Anniversary of the HSMA Philippines. The Virtus Awards bestow on three of the nominees the honors of Outstanding Sales and Marketing Associate, Outstanding Sales and Marketing Manager, and Outstanding Sales and Marketing Leader. One group award is handed out, that of the Institutional Award for Most Outstanding Marketing Campaign of the Year. What’s important to note is how the Virtus Award is more than just a trophy to place on a shelf, it also helps pave the way for a more successful professional career. It’s recognition of excellence from your own peers and from within your chosen industry.

I mentioned above how I had just arrived from Fukuoka, Japan, apparently one of the fastest growing foreign destinations of choice for Filipinos. Tokyo and Osaka are still getting the lion’s share of Filipinos flying out to Japan, but we’ve been discovering Fukuoka as a new alternative city to visit. My visitor experience in Fukuoka (and with past trips to Japan) was wonderful, and it really contributes to how Japan will always be one of my favorite countries to visit. And it’s not just the sights, the food, or the shopping. You have all those; but it’s also the people, the culture, and the values. Why do I say this?

It was a rainy four days, and at the Mitsukoshi Fukuoka, I had left the Grand Hyatt umbrella I borrowed. I couldn’t even remember where I had left it – in the toilet, or on some shopping floor. As it began pouring, I realized my mistake, told Issa to go on to Daimaru, and headed back to Mitsukoshi and their Information desk. The woman manning the Desk hardly spoke English, but used her device to understand my concern. They called, said nothing had been retrieved, so I asked where I could purchase an umbrella. A few minutes later, passing that same desk, she called out to me to wait, as the Hyatt umbrella had been found, and was on it’s way to the Information Desk. And you could feel the pride emanating from her, in having solved my problem.

Whenever Issa or I would stop some pedestrian to confirm something, they would really go out of their way to be of help and direct us, sometimes even taking us some way in the right direction. Small things like this mean a lot, and it brings home how we all play a part in the visitor experience for arrivals to our shores. In other words, we are all frontliners as well. Let’s not forget that if we want our tourism to effectively boom.

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Spending, remittances to fuel PHL growth, with climate seen as drag on economy

THE Philippine economy is expected to grow stronger this year on the back of household spending and remittances, but climate-related disasters may temper any momentum, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said.

In an economic outlook, the OECD said an export boom in information technology-business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) and a recovery in tourism will also be major growth drivers.

“In 2024, the (Philippines) will continue its rapid economic recovery, driven by a robust household consumption, and an improved global growth outlook,” according to the report.

“Other key drivers supporting economic growth momentum in the near term include sustained remittance inflows, fast-growing exports in the IT-BPO sector and steady expansion of the tourism sector.”

The OECD noted that Emerging Asia economies, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries and China and India, will be resilient throughout the year. However, growth risks include external headwinds, extreme weather, and elevated levels of debt.

“Economic growth in the region this year will be driven by robust domestic and regional demand and a continued recovery of the service sector, particularly tourism. However, the region still faces challenges such as wea k external demand,” the OECD said.

Continued recovery in the region’s manufacturing activity is also expected to benefit high-technology exporters in ASEAN amid higher-for-longer interest rates, OECD said.

“The anticipated end of monetary tightening by OECD economies in the second half of the year should help boost investments adding fuel to a global trade rebound.”

Potential rate cuts could also boost high-tech automotive sectors and digital services in the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Improved factory activity would also mean more foreign direct investment especially in ASEAN’s semiconductor and automotive manufacturing industries, the report said.

“ASEAN’s role as a manufacturing hub is expected to strengthen over the medium and long term as it continues to attract global investment despite reshoring trends elsewhere,” OECD said.

However, recovery in merchandise trade remains weak in the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, it said.

Emerging Asia should remain wary of climate disasters, which are expected to “hinder sustainable development.”

The report emphasized the need to bolster institutional capacity, increase funding, and expand disaster risk financing options.

Governments should also push for disaster risk education, a responsive health system, private sector involvement, and more resilient infrastructure.

Climate change could weigh on the Philippines’ growth potential, the OECD said, leading to “significant social, economic, and environmental costs.”

“Both exposure and vulnerability are being exacerbated by an increasing number of urban poor communities in hazard-prone areas, linked to rapid and unplanned urbanization,” the OECD said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

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