January 8, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine tourism industry achieved its highest-ever revenue in 2024, with the Department of Tourism (DOT) reporting approximately P760.5 billion in earnings, marking a 9.04 percent increase from 2023.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco announced the milestone on Jan. 5, attributing the success to strategic policies, expanded air connectivity and sustained efforts to promote the country’s unique destinations.
The figure was 9.04 percent higher than the record of inbound tourism earnings worth P697.46 billion in 2023, as well as up by 26.75 percent from P600.01 billion worth of income in 2019 or a year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the DOT was short of the 7.7 million foreign travelers that it targeted to achieve in 2024, based on projections stipulated in the National Tourism Development Plan 2023-2028.
South Korea remained the Philippines’ top source of foreign tourists, with 1.57 million arrivals in 2024, accounting for 26.46 percent of total market share.
The increase was driven by strategic marketing initiatives, enhanced cultural exchanges during the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the Philippines’ growing reputation as a destination for incentive travel.
The United States ranked second with 1.08 million visitors, with nonstop flights from San Francisco and Seattle to Manila contributing to this growth.
Japan showed a significant 22.84 percent increase in arrivals, reaching 444,528 visitors.
Campaigns and partnerships with Japanese travel agencies heightened interest in the Philippines as a destination.
China, though still below pre-pandemic figures, registered signs of recovery with 313,856 visitors, up from 264,922 in 2023.
Increased direct flights and the introduction of a cruise visa waiver program bolstered these numbers, the DOT said.
Australia (299,286) and Canada (269,300) rounded out the top five, with Taiwan (213,833) and Singapore (198,471) showing strong growth due to enhanced connectivity and markets like diving and English language learning.
The Middle East also posted notable gains, with the United Arab Emirates achieving a 668.34 percent recovery rate compared to 2019.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia showed significant rebounds, reflecting increased air connectivity and heightened interest in the Philippines as a leisure destination.
Other fully recovered markets post pandemic included Hong Kong (106.79 percent), Italy (143.02 percent), Spain (111.08 percent) and New Zealand (100.50 percent).
The DOT said 70 percent of tourists in 2024 were repeat visitors. Tourists reportedly stayed an average of over 11 nights, compared to nine nights in 2019.
“It is clear that the Philippine tourism industry is not only bouncing back but also evolving and expanding, contributing significantly to the nation’s economic stability and growth,” Frasco said.
“This achievement is not just a statistic; it translates to thousands of jobs created for Filipinos, fostering economic resilience and enabling families to thrive. The tourism sector has become a crucial engine for economic development, providing livelihood opportunities for many, especially in our rural and underserved areas,” she said.
The agency has yet to reveal its target of international visitor arrivals for 2025.
Previously, Frasco declared the DOT has “graduated from measuring tourism merely on the number of people arriving but rather on the more important numbers.” — Ghio Ong
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