Foreign tourist arrivals in Philippines surpass 5 million mark in 2023

MANILA: The Department of Tourism (DOT) has already breached the 5-million mark in international tourist arrivals for 2023. According to DOT Secretary Christina Frasco, international tourist arrivals as of Dec 12 have been logged at 5,067,752.

“With the holidays already here, we are confident we will further breach the target that was set this year at 4.8 million international arrivals,” said Frasco at the presentation of the accomplishments of DOT.

She added that with this development, tourism has contributed nearly P440 billion to the Philippine economy in 2023.

In 2022, 2.6 million foreign tourists visited the country.

In 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the tourists numbered to over 163,000.

Frasco said the country’s recovery from the pandemic, in terms of international tourist arrivals, from January to November 2023 is at 65 per cent.

She cited theomete barr of United Nations’ World Tourism Organization.

The 65 per cent recovery rate is higher than the 62 per cent found among nations in the Asia Pacific region.

Frasco also bared from Jan 1 to Nov 30, 2023, international visitor receipts have been registered at P439 billion.

The amount translates to 95 per cent of the 458 billion receipts recorded for 2019.

Frasco also reported tourism in the country has provided more than 5 million jobs for Filipinos.

Such record is equivalent to 11 per cent of the entire national employment.

“We’re optimistic that this number will increase this year, anticipating that we will have twice as many foreign visitors that we received last year,” said Frasco. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN