The Philippines is targeting 7.7 million international visitor arrivals next year, representing a 50% increase over 2023 numbers according to comments from Department of Tourism chief Christina Frasco.
The positive forecast comes after the Philippines exceeded its 2023 target of 4.8 million arrivals, with 5,069,752 arrivals since January as per Philippine News Agency.
“I understand that this is not yet our pre-pandemic numbers of 2019 at over 8.2 million international arrivals but what I can assure you is that we will push as hard as we can and fully activate our convergences with other government agencies in order to reach this target,” Frasco said, adding that the nation had shown “remarkable resilience” in emerging from the ravages of the pandemic.
“Under the visionary leadership of our President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., the Philippines has begun to witness the fruits of the plans that have been put in place under his vision for transformation.”
Of the 5,069,752 arrivals so far in 2023, 4,658,123 or 91.9% were foreign tourists, the DOT said, with the rest being foreign-based Filipinos.
South Korea remains the number one source tourism market, contributing 1,341,029 arrivals, followed by the US with 836,694, Japan with 285,655, China with 252,171 and Australia with 238,487.
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