THE Philippines received some 5.45 million international tourists in 2023, about 30 percent shy of the 8.26-million historic high arrivals in pre-pandemic 2019.
In a news statement released by the Department of Tourism (DOT), foreign visitors also spent an estimated US$8.69 billion (P482.73 billion) in the country, just 6.6 percent less than the $9.3 billion (P516.62 billion) they spent in 2019. (BSP reference rate: P55.55:$1)
Of total visitor arrivals in 2023, foreign tourists accounted for 91.8 percent or 5 million while the rest, at 8.2 percent of total or 447,082 were overseas Filipinos, or Philippine passport holders permanently residing abroad. Under its National Tourism Development Plan for 2023-2028, the DOT had targeted international arrivals of 4.8 million for 2023 under its baseline scenario, and 5.8 million under its medium scenario.
In an interview with the BusinessMirror, Hotel Sales and Marketing Association chair Margarita Munsayac expressed optimism for this year’s tourism prospects, but also outlined some challenges the industry faces. “Definitely 2024 will be a better year. Our traditional North Asia markets [e.g. Korea and Japan] will continue to grow. However, we need to address the challenges of airlines to roll out additional flights especially in secondary airports like Cebu.”
She added, “The Department of Tourism needs to have focused marketing on target markets so that products, routes and infrastructure will be aligned to ensure our destinations are ready to receive an increased number of tourists.” Munsayac echoed concerns raised by other hoteliers on government’s tourism marketing push. (See, “PHL is slowly regaining tourism stride, but issues still bug visitors,” in the BusinessMirror, January 1, 2024.) The DOT is targeting 7.7 million international arrivals this year.
Koreans top arrivals
As per DOT data, South Korea remained the top source market for tourists with 1.44 million in 2023, and equivalent to 26.41 percent of total arrivals. It was followed by the United States with 903,299 tourists (16.57 percent); Japan with 305,580 (5.61 percent); Australia with 266,551 (4.89 percent); and China with 263,836 (4.84 percent).
Other top source markets were Canada with 221,920 tourists (4.07 percent of total); Taiwan with 194,851 (3.57 percent); the United Kingdom with 154,698 (2.84 percent); Singapore with 149,230 (2.74 percent); and Malaysia with 97,369 (1.79 percent).
“These numbers speak very well of the performance of the tourism industry under the Marcos Administration,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco. “Since we took office, we have set our goals for the industry not only in terms of international visitor arrivals, but most importantly, the number of Filipinos, including their families, who will benefit from the opportunities generated by our constant and continuous efforts to make the industry prosper more than what we have aimed for. We assure the President, including our partners from the public and private sectors, that we will continue to realize the vision of this administration to make tourism a catalyst for economic growth and resurgence,” she added.
In her yearend report, the DOT chief said 21,195 tourism-related jobs were offered at the Trabaho, Turismo, Asenso Job Fairs–Trabaho Turismo Asenso Philippine Tourism Job Fairs, a collaborative effort by the DOT and the Department of Labor and Employment, last year. The agency, however, failed to say how many of the applicants actually landed the jobs offered at these fairs.
