philippines tourism ministry

What is Department of Tourism? A Comprehensive Overview

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The Department of Tourism (DOT) functions as the executive department of the Philippine government, with a critical responsibility for regulating the nation’s tourism industry. 

Its primary objective is to promote the Philippines as an appealing and captivating tourist destination on the global stage.

Serving as the primary planning, implementing, and regulatory government agency , the Department of Tourism (DOT) is specifically entrusted with the development and promotion of the Philippine tourism industry, encompassing both domestic and international initiatives.

DOT Job Opportunities:

Discover rewarding career opportunities within the Department of Tourism. Explore diverse roles that contribute to the growth and promotion of the Philippine tourism industry. 

Check out the current job openings listed below or explore more opportunities across various government agencies.

Note: Click on the job title to access detailed job descriptions and find instructions on how to apply. Your journey to a fulfilling career in tourism awaits!

Department of Tourism History:

In 1950, the private initiative known as the Philippine Tourist & Travel Association was established with the aim of promoting the Philippines as a key travel destination. 

In 1956, the Board of Travel and Tourist Industry was formed by Congress. Following the Integrated Reorganization Plan in 1972, enacted through Presidential Decree No. 2, the Department of Trade and Tourism was founded, reorganizing the existing Department of Commerce and Industry. 

As part of this reorganization, the Philippine Tourism Commission was established under the unified Trade and Tourism Department to oversee the development of the tourism industry for economic benefit.

In 1973, President Ferdinand Marcos elevated the status of tourism by creating a separate cabinet-level Department of Tourism (DOT), dividing it from the Department of Trade and Tourism. 

Within the newly formed Department of Tourism, the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) and the Philippine Convention Bureau (PCB) were established. 

The Department of Tourism was later renamed the Ministry of Tourism in line with the government’s shift to a new form of governance according to the 1973 Constitution.

In 1986, under Executive Order Nos. 120 and 120-A signed by President Corazon Aquino, the Department of Tourism underwent reorganization. 

The Convention Bureau was rebranded as the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation, and the Intramuros Administration, previously under the defunct Ministry of Human Settlements, was attached. 

The culmination of the country’s centennial celebration of independence from the Spanish Empire in 1898 saw the Department of Tourism playing a significant role in 1998.

Initiating a successful tourism promotion project, WOW Philippines, in 2003 under Secretary Richard J. Gordon marked a milestone for the Department of Tourism. 

The most recent advancements in the Philippine tourism industry occurred with the passage of Republic Act No. 9593, known as the ‘Tourism Act of 2009.

“The Department of Tourism (DOT) shall be the primary government agency charged with the responsibility to encourage, promote, and develop tourism as a major socio-economic activity to generate foreign currency and employment and to spread the benefits of tourism to both the private and public sector.”

“To develop a globally competitive, environmentally sustainable and socially responsible tourism industry that promotes inclusive growth through employment generation and equitable distribution of income thereby contributing to building a foundation for a high trusted society.”

Organization Structure of the Department of Tourism (DOT)

The Department of Tourism (DOT) plays a pivotal role in shaping and promoting the Philippine tourism landscape. 

The department is headed by the Secretary of Tourism (Philippines), overseeing a hierarchical structure with key leadership positions. 

The leadership team includes four undersecretaries and assistant secretaries, each entrusted with specific portfolios. 

Undersecretaries:

1. Undersecretary for Administration and Finance

2. Undersecretary for Public Affairs, Communications & Special Projects

3. Undersecretary for Tourism Development Planning

4. Undersecretary for Tourism Promotions

5. Undersecretary for Tourism Regulation Coordination & Resource Generations

Assistant Secretaries:

1. Assistant Secretary for Administration and Special Concerns

2. Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Communications and Special Projects

3. Assistant Secretary for Product and Market Development

4. Assistant Secretary for Tourism Regulation Coordination & Resource Generation for Metro Manila Cluster

5. Assistant Secretary for Tourism Regulation Coordination & Resource Generation for Luzon and Visayas

Bureaus and Offices of the Department of Tourism (DOT):

The Department of Tourism (DOT) operates seamlessly through a well-structured framework comprising various bureaus and offices. 

Each entity within the department plays a unique and crucial role in fulfilling its mission to promote and develop the Philippine tourism industry. 

Below is an overview of the specialized Bureaus and Offices that collectively contribute to the dynamic operations of the Department of Tourism.

• Bureau of Domestic Tourism Promotions and Information
• Bureau of International Tourism Promotions
• Office of Product Development
• Office of Tourism Coordination
• Office of Tourism Development Planning
• Office of Tourism Information
• Office of Tourism Standards

Agencies of the Department of Tourism (DOT)

Meet the members of the “Department of Tourism Family” – a group of agencies attached to the Department of Tourism (DOT) that work hand in hand to enhance and promote Philippine tourism. 

Each agency has a unique role in contributing to the overall success of the Department of Tourism mission. 

• Tourism Promotions Board (TPB)
• Intramuros Administration (IA)
• National Parks Development Committee (NPDC)
• Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), formerly Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA)
• Duty-Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC)
• Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF)
• Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA)
• Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD)

These agencies make up the “DOT Family,” working together under the supervision of the Secretary to coordinate programs and policies for the betterment of Philippine tourism.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the Department of Tourism (DOT) stands as the driving force behind the promotion and development of the Philippine tourism industry. 

With a rich history and a commitment to excellence, the DOT plays a pivotal role in showcasing the beauty and allure of the Philippines on the global stage. 

The structured organization, highlighted by the Secretary of Tourism and a dedicated team of undersecretaries and assistant secretaries, ensures effective leadership and strategic planning.

The historical journey, marked by significant milestones such as the creation of the Department of Tourism in 1973 and the impactful WOW Philippines campaign in 2003, reflects the department’s dedication to elevating the tourism sector.

The organizational structure, featuring specialized bureaus and offices, underscores the DOT’s comprehensive approach to promoting and regulating the tourism industry. 

Each entity within the department plays a crucial role in achieving the overarching mission, contributing to the dynamic operations that define the Department of Tourism.

As the DOT continues to evolve and adapt to the changing landscape of the tourism industry, it remains a beacon for those seeking fulfilling careers and for travelers eager to experience the unparalleled beauty and hospitality of the Philippines. 

The future holds exciting possibilities for the DOT, as it continues to shape the narrative of Philippine tourism on both domestic and international fronts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What is the Department of Tourism (DOT)?

The Department of Tourism (DOT) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for regulating and promoting the nation’s tourism industry. 

Its primary goal is to showcase the Philippines as an attractive and captivating tourist destination globally.

• What are the main functions of the DOT?

The DOT serves as the primary planning, implementing, and regulatory agency for the development and promotion of the Philippine tourism industry, encompassing both domestic and international initiatives.

• How can I explore job opportunities within the Department of Tourism?

Discover fulfilling career opportunities within the DOT by checking the current job openings listed on above. 

Explore diverse roles contributing to the growth and promotion of the Philippine tourism industry.

• What is the history of the Department of Tourism?

The DOT’s roots trace back to 1950 with the establishment of the Philippine Tourist & Travel Association. 

Over the years, it underwent several reorganizations, leading to its current status as a vital department focused on tourism development.

• What is the mission of the DOT?

The mission of the DOT is to encourage, promote, and develop tourism as a major socio-economic activity, generating foreign currency and employment while spreading the benefits of tourism to both the private and public sectors.

• What is the vision of the DOT?

The vision of the DOT is to develop a globally competitive, environmentally sustainable, and socially responsible tourism industry that promotes inclusive growth through employment generation and equitable distribution of income.

• Can you explain the organization structure of the DOT?

The DOT is headed by the Secretary of Tourism, supported by undersecretaries and assistant secretaries overseeing specific portfolios. 

The department operates through various bureaus and offices, each playing a unique role in promoting and developing Philippine tourism.

• What are the key bureaus and offices within the DOT?

The DOT operates through bureaus such as Domestic Tourism Promotions and Information, International Tourism Promotions, and various offices including Product Development, Tourism Coordination, Tourism Development Planning, Tourism Information, and Tourism Standards.

• Which agencies are part of the “DOT Family”?

The “DOT Family” includes agencies attached to the DOT, such as the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), Intramuros Administration (IA), National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), Duty-Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC), Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF), Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA), and Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD). 

Each agency plays a unique role in enhancing and promoting Philippine tourism.

• How has the Department of Tourism evolved over the years?

The Department of Tourism has undergone significant evolution since its inception in 1950. 

It started as a private initiative, and through legislative changes and reorganizations, it became a separate cabinet-level department focused on promoting and developing the Philippine tourism industry.

Disclaimer:

The Philippine Go does not collect fees and is not a hiring agency, nor is it related to any hiring agency for employment abroad.  All information contained here is solely for informational purposes and rightfully belongs to its rightful owner.  Attached in the last section of the content are references for further verification, if needed. Read more

• Department of Tourism (Philippines) Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved from [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_of_Tourism_(Philippines) ]

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Department of Tourism

Profile and History In 1952, through Republic Act No. 710, the Philippine Tourist and Travel Association (PTTA) were created to bring together all organizations and entities that cater to travel and tourism. By 1956 through R.A. 1478, the Board of Travel and Tourist Industry (BTTI) were created under the Department of Commerce and Industry (DCI) to serve as the policy-making body for travel and tourism, while the PTTA became its implementing arm. Presidential Decree No. 189 in 1973 gave birth to the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) as its implementing arm for infrastructure development. PD 189 also reconstituted and attached the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to the DOT. In 1976, the Philippine Convention Bureau (PCB) was created as DOT's marketing arm for conventions. In 1986, the Aquino administration sought to put more cohesiveness into the functions of the DOT. Through Executive Order No. 120, the DOT was reorganized in 1987 as the primary government agency charged with the responsibility to encourage, promote and develop tourism as a major socio-economic activity in the country. By virtue of this executive order, PTA remained as attached agency of the DOT. Subsequently, Executive Order No. 120-A reorganized the PCB to the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC) as DOT's marketing arm. The CAB, though, was transferred to the Department of Transportation and Communication. With the completion of the 20-year Philippine Tourism Master Plan (TMP) in 1991, the Ramos administration issued Proclamation No. 188, adopting the TMP as the government's blueprint for tourism development. The proclamation mobilizes all government agencies and the private sector to support and implement the TMP. It also allows the DOT to create committees and task forces that will ensure the implementation of the programs identified in the plan. The Arroyo administration, anchored on economic sufficiency and political stability, adopted tourism as among its pillars for sustained economic growth by attracting more visitors, extending their length of stay, and increasing the attractiveness of the country's tourism products. Firmly committed to achieve this vision, the Arroyo administration elevated the Secretary of Tourism to a senior cabinet level. Vision Improve accessibility of travel destinations, Make tourism products better and more affordable, Promote a culture of tourism among local residents, and Increase recognition of tourism as an effective and efficient tool towards socio-economic development of the Philippines. Mission To generate foreign currency and employment; To spread the benefits of tourism to a wider segment of the population with the support, assistance and cooperation of both the private and public sector; and To ensure the safe, convenient, enjoyable stay and travel of foreign and local visitors in the Philippines. Mandate The Department of Tourism's mandate was first embodied in Presidential Decree No. 189 which created the Department of Tourism in 1973. It was reorganized structurally and functionally with Executive Order No. 120 signed in January 30, 1987. Additional Information Mission The Department of Tourism (DOT) shall be the primary government agency charged with the responsibility to encourage, promote, and develop tourism as a major socio-economic activity to generate foreign currency and employment and to spread the benefits of tourism to both the private and public sector. History 1950s - Started as a private initiative, the Philippine Tourist & Travel Association was organized. 1956 - The Board of Travel & Tourist Industry was created by law. 1973 - The Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), and Philippine Convention Bureau (PCB) were created by the Philippine government. 1986 - Under Executive Order no. 120 and 120-A, DOT and PCB were reorganized structurally and functionally. PCB was renamed Philippine Convention & Visitors Corporation. Functions Office of the Secretary The Office of the Secretary provides leadership, direction, and substance to the overall operations of the Department. It formulates policies, plans, programs, rules, and regulations; reviews and evaluates the performance of the Tourism Master Plan and advises the President on all matters affecting the tourism program of the country. Tourism Promotions Sector The Tourism Promotion Sector has the primary function of promoting the Philippines as a tourist destination domestically and internationally. It devises integrated marketing and promotional activities such as information dissemination, public relations, special events, and related tourism programs. It likewise supervises the overseas field offices established to implement and enhance the tourism development and promotion program of the Department in the international field. Tourism Services and Regional Offices Sector The Tourism Services and Regional Offices Sector is tasked to ensure the pleasant entry, stay, and exit of tourists. It formulates standards of quantity and efficiency for tourism-oriented establishments, among others, done through an accreditation system. Tourist establishments' compliance to policies is monitored to make sure that their facilities and services are operated and maintained according to acceptable international norms. The Sector also supervises DOT's regional operations established to implement the policies, plans, programs, and regulations of the Department and to maintain the delivery of efficient and effective frontline services for the tourism industry. Planning, Product Development and Coordination The Tourism Planning, Product Development and Coordination Sector is responsible for the formulation and updating of the Tourism Master Plan, together with its component programs. The Sector monitors the effective implementation of the Tourism Master Plan and, in coordination with the private sector and other government institutions, develops and conceptualizes new products and investment opportunities designed to enhance tourist sites and facilities. Internal Services Sector The Internal Services Sector ensures the smooth and legal functioning of the operations of the Department through the provision of effective and efficient advice and services in the areas of personnel management, human resources development, general services administration, computerization and information technology services, budgetary, financial and management services, and including investigatory and advisory services.

Brief History Integrated Asian, European and American Influence. The Philippines is the third largest English speaking country in the world. It has a rich history combining Asian, European, and American influences. Prior to Spanish colonization in 1521, the Filipinos had a rich culture and were trading with the Chinese and the Japanese. Spain's colonization brought about the construction of Intramuros in 1571, a "Walled City" comprised of European buildings and churches, replicated in different parts of the archipelago. In 1898, after 350 years and 300 rebellions, the Filipinos, with leaders like Jose Rizal and Emilio Aguinaldo, succeeded in winning their independence. In 1898, the Philippines became the first and only colony of the United States. Following the Philippine-American War, the United States brought widespread education to the islands. Filipinos fought alongside Americans during World War II, particularly at the famous battle of Bataan and Corregidor which delayed Japanese advance and saved Australia. They then waged a guerilla war against the Japanese from 1941 to 1945. The Philippines regained its independence in 1946. Filipinos are a freedom-loving people, having waged two peaceful, bloodless revolutions against what were perceived as corrupt regimes. The Philippines is a vibrant democracy, as evidenced by 12 English national newspapers, 7 national television stations, hundreds of cable TV stations, and 2,000 radio stations. Filipinos are a fun-loving people. Throughout the islands, there are fiestas celebrated everyday and foreign guests are always welcome to their homes. ============================================================= GEOGRAPHY Source: www:nscb.gov.ph Location: Off the south-east coast of Asia and sprawls between Asia mainland and Australia between latitude 21°25'N and 4°23'N and longitude 116°E and 127°E. Capital: Manila, with a population of 1,660,7141 as of Aug 1, 2007 and an area of 25.0 sq. km. Land Area: The Philippines has a total land area of approximately 343,448.32 sq. km.2 and comprises 7,107 islands, some 4,000 of which are named and 1,000 are inhabited. The Philippine Archipelago is one of the largest island groups in the world. It is divided into three major island groups, namely: Luzon, 147,947.63 sq. km.; Visayas, 59,873.84 sq. km.; and Mindanao, 135,626.85 sq. km. Terrain: Diverse, owing to its numerous high mountains and/or volcanic landforms and extensive valleys and plateaus interspersed with many rivers and lakes. Climate: Tropical, with a normal average year-round temperature of 27°C (82°F). Two pronounced seasons --- dry and wet. Time Zone (Standard Time): One time zone. 120° East Meridian Time, which is eight hours in advance of the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Note: Information are as of January 2010. 1 Source: 2007 Census of Population and Housing, National Statistics Office 2 Land area is based on the 2007 Masterlist certified by the Lands Management Bureau. ============================================================= PEOPLE Nationality: Filipino(s) Population: Population for year 2007 is 88.57 million. Annual growth rate for 2000-2007 is estimated at 2.04%. Population Projection for year 2007 is 88.7 million. Religion: Predominantly Christian. Catholics - 82.9% Protestants - 5.4% Islam - 4.6% Philippine Independent Church - 2.6% Iglesia ni Cristo - 2.3% Languages: Two official languages --- Filipino and English. Filipino which is based on Tagalog, is the national language. English is also widely used and is the medium of instruction in higher education. Eight (8) major dialects spoken by majority of the Filipinos: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense. Education: Two forms --- formal and nonformal. Simple Literacy Rate (2003) - 93.4% Participation rates: Elementary (SY 2008- 2009)* - 85.12% Secondary (SY 2008- 2009)* - 60.74% Enrolment: Elementary (SY 2009-2010)* - 12,789,110 Secondary (SY 2009-2010)* - 5,416,718 Tertiary (SY 2009-2010) - 2,770,965 Health: Life expectancy (2010-2015): Female - 73.14 years Male - 67.67 years Infant mortality rate per 1000 live births (2006 ) - 13 Child mortality rate per 1000 live births (2006) - 6 Maternal mortality per 100,000 live births (2006) - 104 Contraceptive prevalence rate (2006) - 73% Labor and Employment (October 2010): Labor force participation rate - 64.2% Unemployment rate - 7.1% Distribution of Employed Persons: Agriculture, fishery and forestry - 33.6% Industry - 14.7% Services - 51.7%. * For Public schools only. Note: Data are as of 13 January 2011 ================================================================= GOVERNMENT Official Name: Republic of the Philippines Form of Government: Democratic Independence: June 12, 1898 Constitution: The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines restored the republican form of government in the country. It was ratified on February 2, 1987. Branches: Executive --- president and vice-president Legislative --- bicameral legislature (Upper and Lower House) Judiciary --- independent. Incumbent Officers: President: Benigno S. Aquino III Vice-President: Jejomar C. Binay Senate President: Juan Ponce Enrile Speaker of the House of Representatives: Feliciano Belmonte Administrative Subdivisions1: As of December 2010, the Philippines had 17 regions, 80 provinces, 138 cities, 1,496 municipalities and 42,025 barangays. Suffrage: Universal, but not compulsory, at age 18. Note: Information are as of January 2011. 1 Source: Philippine Standard Geographic Codes, NSCB ============================================================== ECONOMY Gross National Income (GNI) (4th Qtr 2011) At constant 2000 prices: Level: PhP 2,064,364 Growth rate (4Q 2010- 4Q 2011): 3.5% Per Capita GNI: PhP 21,402 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (4th Qtr 2011) At constant 2000 prices: Level: PhP 1,591,195 Growth rate (4Q 2010- 4Q 2011): 3.7% Per Capita GDP: PhP 16,497 Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry and Fishery (4th Qtr 2011) At constant 2000 prices: Percent share to total GNI: 9.5% Five major products: Palay, Coconut (including copra), Banana, Poultry, Livestock Industry Sector (4th Qtr 2011) At constant 2000 prices: Percent share to total GNI: 24.7% Major industries and their contribution to GNI Mining and quarrying: 0.7% Manufacturing: 17.8% Construction: 4.0% Electricity, gas and water supply: 2.2% Services Sector (4th Qtr 2011) At constant 2000 prices: Percent share to total GNI: 42.9% Major services and their contribution to total GNI Transportation, communication and storage: 5.7% Trade and Repair of Motor Vehicles, Motorcycles, Personal and Household Goods: 13.6% Financial Intermediation: 5.0% Real Estate, Renting & Business Activities: 7.7% Public Administration & Defence; Compulsory Social Security: 2.9% Other services: 7.9% Currency Used: Philippine Peso (PhP) Note: Information are as of 30 January 2012. =================================================================== The President's Cabinet Executive Secretary - Paquito Ochoa, Jr. Secretary of Agrarian Reform - Virgilio De Los Reyes Secretary of Agriculture - Proceso Alcala Secretary of Budget and Management - Florencio Abad Secretary of Education - Bro. Armin Luistro FSC Secretary of Energy - Jose Rene Almendras Secretary of Environment & Natural Resources - Ramon Paje Secretary of Finance - Cesar Purisima Secretary of Foreign Affairs - Albert Del Rosario Secretary of Health - Enrique Ona Secretary of Interior and Local Government - Jesse Robredo Secretary of Justice - Leila de Lima Secretary of Labor and Employment - Rosalinda Baldoz Secretary of National Defense - Voltaire Gazmin Secretary of Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning - Ramon Carandang Secretary of Presidential Communications Operations Office - Herminio Coloma Secretary of Public Works & Highways - Rogelio Singson Secretary of Science & Technology - Mario Montejo Secretary of Social Welfare & Development - Corazon Soliman Secretary of Tourism - Ramon Jimenez Secretary of Trade & Industry - Gregory Domingo Secretary of Transportation and Communications - Manuel Roxas Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) - Patricia Licuanan Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council - Vice-President Jejomar Binay Director General of the National Economic and Development Authority - Cayetano Paderanga, Jr. National Security Adviser - Cesar Garcia Presidential Adviser on Peace Process - Teresita Deles Head of the Presidential Management Staff - Julia Andrea Abad Presidential Spokesperson - Edwin Lacierda Chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority - Francis Tolentino Chief Presidential Legal Counsel - Eduardo de Mesa Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) - Antonino P. Roman National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) - Jose Eliseo M. Rocamora

How to apply? The DOT online application for accreditation is temporarily under maintenance. Applicants are advised to proceed to the regional office located in your respective locality: DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM DIRECTORY OF REGIONAL OFFICES Website: http://www.visitmyphilippines.com NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION Ma. Cynthia C. Lazo, CESO III - Regional Director Department of Tourism - Region NCR 2/F New DOT Bldg., 351 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati City, Philippines 1200 Trunkline (63 2) 459-5200 to 459-5230 loc. 212 / 232 Telefax (63 2) 553-3530 / 3531 Email DOT [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION Marie Venus Q. Tan - Regional Director Department of Tourism - Region CAR Baguio Tourism Complex, Gov. Pack Road, 2600 Baguio City Phone (63 74) 442-7014 / 8848 / 7014 / 424-8667 Mobile 0917-658-1619 E-mail [email protected] / [email protected] NORTH LUZON REGION (ILOCOS) Martin S. Valera, CSE Eligible - Regional Director Department of Tourism - Region I G/F Oasis Country Resort Hotel, Sevilla, San Fernando City, La Union Phone (63 72) 888-2098 / 888-2411 / 242-1656 Fax (63 72) 888-2098 Email [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] Satellite Office (Laoag Sub-Office) Modesto T. Baloloy - Officer - In - Charge 2/F Pacific Bldg., Abadilla St., Laoag City, Ilocos Norte 2900 Phone (63 77) 772-0467 Telefax (63 77) 771-1473 Mobile 0920-603-1850 Email [email protected] CAGAYAN VALLEY REGION Virgilio M. Maguigad - Regional Director Department of Tourism - Region II # 2 Dalan na Pav-vurulun, Regional Government Center, Carig Sur, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan 3500 Telefax: (63 78) 304-1503 / 304-1499 Phone (63 78) 373-9563 / 373-0785 / 373-0786 Mobile 0918-909-2326 / 0939-198-5444 (Smart) Mobile 0915-189-1388 (Globe) / 0925-880-1550 up to 1555 (Sun) Email [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] Website www.dotregion2.com.ph CENTRAL LUZON REGION Carolina D. Uy - Chief Tourism Operations Officer / Officer–In-Charge Department of Tourism - Region III G/F Marlim Mansions Hotel Bldg., MacArthur Hwy., Diamond Subd., Balibago, Angeles City Phone: (63 45) 625-8525 / 458-2358 Office Mobile #: 0939-904-5231 / 0917-506-2221 OIC Carol Uy Mobile #: 0908-888-4858 / 0906-248-8338 Alvin delos Reyes (accreditation officer) Mobile # 0923-474-3849 Email: [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] CALABARZON REGION Vernie V. Morales, CESO III - Regional Director Department of Tourism - Region IV-A G/F Dencris Business Center, Halang, National Hwy., Calamba City, Laguna Phone (63 49) 508-0731 to 34 (Trunkline) Phone (63 49) 508-0741 / 0760 / 0743 / 0748 / 0761 Email [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] MIMAROPA REGION Maria Luisa S. Diploma - Regional Director Department of Tourism - Region IV-B DOT Bldg., #351 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., JB Bldg., Makati City Phone (63 2) 459-5200 loc. 210 / 890-1014 Fax (63 2) 890-0945 Email [email protected] BICOL REGION Benjamin F. Santiago - Regional Director Department of Tourism - Region V Regional Center Site, Rawis, 4500 Legazpi City Phone (63 52) 481-5593 / 435-0085 Fax (63 52) 482-0712 / 482-0715 Email [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] Website www.www.gayonbicol.com WESTERN VISAYAS REGION Atty. Helen J. Catalbas - Regional Director Department of Tourism - Region VI Western Visayas Tourism Center, Capitol Ground, Bonifacio Drive, 5000 Iloilo City Phone (63 33) 337-5411 / 509-3550 Telefax (63 33) 335-0245 Mobile 0917-622-7979 (RD Helen) / 0917-722-6691 (office) Email [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] Website www.westernvisayastourism.com.ph Satellite Office (Boracay) Mr. Kristoffer Leo Velete Officer-in-Charge / Team Leader D' Mall, Stn 2, Balabag, Boracay, Malay, Aklan 5608 Aklan Phone (63 36) 288-3689 Mobile 0947-852-8110 Email [email protected] Website http://www.boracay.com Bacolod Satellite Office Doña Ceferina II Bldg., Door #4, 22nd St., Lacson, 6100 Bacolod City Phone (63 34) 709-0626 CENTRAL VISAYAS REGION Shahlimar H.Tamano - Regional Director Department of Tourism - Region VII G/F LDM Bldg. cor Legaspi and MJ Cuenco Sts., 6000 Cebu City Phone (63 32) 412-1980 (Executive Assistant) Phone (63 32) 412-1967 (Administrative / Accounting Div) Phone (63 32) 254-3534 / 412-1980 (Planning and Statistics Office) Phone (63 32) 254-6650 (Product Development Div) Phone (63 32) 254-2811 / 412-1966 (Accreditation Div) Email dot [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] Satellite Office (Bohol) Door 2, 2/F Sum Bldg., San Jose St., Brgy. Cogon, Tagbilaran City 6300 Phone (63 38) 501-0143 EASTERN VISAYAS REGION Ma. Trinidad C. Dacuycuy - Supervising Tourism Operations Officer / Officer-In-Charge Department of Tourism - Region VIII Leyte Park Hotel Cpd., Magsaysay Blvd., Kanhuraw Hill, Magsaysay Blvd., Tacloban City, 6500 Leyte Phone (63 53) 832-0901 / 325-5279 / 321-2048 Mobile 0998-888-9715 Email [email protected] / [email protected] ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA REGION Karina Rosa S. Tiopes, CESO III - Regional Director Department of Tourism - Region IX G/F Samboangan Cooperative Bldg., Gen. Vicente Alvarez St. cor. Claveria St., Zamboanga City 7000 Phone (63 62) 955-2477 Telefax (63 62) 993-0030 Mobile 0917-710-5219 Email [email protected] / [email protected] Satellite Office (Dapitan City) City Library Bldg., 7101 Dapitan City Phone (63 65) 213-6616 Telefax (63 65) 213-6787 Email [email protected] NORTHERN MINDANAO REGION Marie Elaine Salvana - Unchuan - Regional Director Department of Tourism - Region X Florentino St., Limketkai Center 9000 Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Phone (63 88) 880-4531 / 856-4048 E-mail [email protected] / [email protected] Website http://dotregion10.com.ph/ SOUTHERN MINDANAO REGION Antonio Fernando M. Blanco - Regional Director Department of Tourism - Region XI Rm. 512 5/F LANDCO Corporate Center Bldg., J.P. Laurel Avenue, 8000 Davao City Phone (63 82) 225-1940 / 221-0070 / 6955 Phone (63 82) 221-0070 / 6955 Phone (63 82) 224-1363 / 0917-795-3965 / 0939-930-0864 (Office of the Assistant Secretary) Email [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] Website www.discoverdavao.com / www.davaocity.gov.ph SOUTH CENTRAL MINDANAO Maria Rica C. Bueno - Regional Director Department of Tourism - Region XII G/F Door 6 & 7, Lucena Realty Bldg., Alunan Ave., cor. Jose Abad Santos St., Koronadal City Phone (63 83) 228-8667 / 520-1274 E-mail [email protected] / [email protected] Website www.visitsox.com CARAGA REGION Ma. Ana T. Nuguid - Regional Director Department of Tourism - Region XIII G/F Grateful Realty Corp. Bldg., 008 Pili Drive, 8600 Butuan City Phone (63 85) 341-8413 Telefax (63 85) 815-6040 Email [email protected] Website: http://www.dotcaraga.ph Coordinating Office: MS. MARIA LOURDES F. JAPSON - Assistant Secretary Tourism Regulation, Coordination and Resource Generation (TRCRG) Department of Tourism #351 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., JB Bldg., Makati City Trunk Line: (63 2) 459-5200 to 459-5230 E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected] N.B. Updated as of February 2018. Information here may change without prior notice.

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Agency behind ‘Love the Philippines’ tourism video sorry for using shots of other countries

Agency DDB Philippines apologises for using ‘highly inappropriate’ images that stock footage providers offer from Brazil and Indonesia

A tourism campaign for the Philippines backfired after the creators of a video promoting the archipelago nation as a holiday destination said it had used stock shots from other countries.

Advertising agency DDB Philippines apologised on Sunday for the “highly inappropriate” images, which included rice terraces in Indonesia and sand dunes in Brazil.

The agency was behind the video for the government’s $900,000 “Love the Philippines” tourism campaign , which launched on 27 June.

The tourism ministry said the previous day it was investigating allegations that DDB’s video included “non-original shots”, and the video was later removed from its Facebook page.

Tourism is a key industry in the Philippines, which boasts pristine dive spots and white sand beaches, but arrivals lag those of its neighbours due to poor infrastructure and high costs.

There were 2.7 million inbound tourists to the Philippines last year, down 68% from pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to data from the UN’s World Tourism Organisation.

Questions emerged after popular Philippine blogger Sass Rogando Sasot posted on Facebook that several images in the campaign video were from other countries.

Analysis by Agence France-Presse’s Fact Check team confirmed that the video showed places in Brazil, Indonesia, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.

DDB apologised on Sunday for using “foreign stock footage”, describing it as an “unfortunate oversight on our agency’s part”.

“Proper screening and approval processes should have been strictly followed,” DDB said in a statement. “The use of foreign stock footage in a campaign promoting the Philippines is highly inappropriate, and contradictory to the DOT’s [Department of Tourism’s] objectives.”

The video was produced at its own expense, DDB said.

The tourism ministry said in its statement it had “repeatedly sought confirmation from DDB on the originality and ownership of all materials contained in the AVPs (audio-visual presentations) and key visuals presented to the department”.

“In all these occasions, DDB repeatedly assured the DOT that the originality and ownership of all materials are in order,” the ministry said.

Some of the images used in the promotional video can be found on the websites of stock footage providers.

For example, footage of rice terraces is on Pond5, which identified the location as Ubud on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali.

Videvo has the same aerial shot of sand dunes as the one used in the Philippine ad but says the location was Cumbuco in north-eastern Brazil.

Other footage shows a fisherman casting a net while wearing a hat that is not typically worn in the Philippines and a person driving a buggy over sand dunes in the United Arab Emirates.

A spokeswoman for the tourism ministry did not respond to requests for comment on Sunday.

The tourism minister, Christina Frasco, told local media last week the new branding campaign cost 49m pesos (nearly $900,000).

Frasco said the ministry conducted a global survey which found that, in the post-pandemic era, tourists wanted “authentic interactions with communities”.

The new slogan replaced “It’s more fun in the Philippines”.

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History of Philippine Tourism

Ever wonder about the history of tourism in the philippines this can give you a good idea and maybe even say, “woah” you may realize that the origin of tourism in the philippines dates back even before the arrival of the spanish colonizers then you would continue asking why the country slid down from being one of the top tourist destinations in asia to a laggard. it’s kinda sobering, actually. but read on the details to be informed and perhaps entertained..

Ready to be blown away?

Let’s read the history of tourism in the Philippines.

1417: The Sultan of Sulu, Paduka Pahala traveled to Beijing to pay tribute to the emperor of China, Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty. Perhaps we could consider the sultan’s party as the first official travel group from the Philippines. But the sultan died in China while still in that country and the rest of his party stayed there. As regards travel between the two countries, it has been known that Chinese traders had been visiting the Philippines many years prior to the arrival of Spaniards.

1521 - 1898: Spanish colonial era - Travel was limited between islands and coastal areas. The seas were actually considered bridges instead of barriers between different peoples of the Philippines. Inland travel was very limited due to the absence of roads. However, a very interesting interaction between the Cordillera highlands and the Ilocos lowlands had been ongoing. So-called Spanish or pre-Spanish trails were frequently used by the highland communities in order to trade with the lowlanders. Meat, salt, and housewares were the items often exchanged. Local Cordillera elders whom I interacted with told of their houses having extra space for weary travelers who had to travel several days between the Cordilleras and the lowlands and were in need of places to stay for the cold nights. Perhaps such hospitality has been ingrained in the Filipinos.

The Spanish era also made religious pilgrimage popular and as a reason (or excuse) to travel. That culture has continued to be practiced in many communities up to the present day. One such notable pilgrimage was visiting the Church of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo, Rizal during the month of May. Pilgrims seeking the Virgin’s blessings and protection would board boats near Quiapo, heading upriver to either Cainta or Taytay. Since the church was located on top of a hill, visitors took transport either in hammocks carried by crews of men or by horse-drawn carriage. After the pilgrimage, some visitors would go bathe in a nearby waterfall known as Hinulugang Taktak (i got this description from the website, tulay.ph).

Privately owned rest houses, such as Malacañan Palace (originally owned by businessman Don Luis Rocha) were used for accommodation by the society elite who went on local pilgrimages.

Mid 1800’s - Spanish colonial authorities introduced innovations such as railroad, electricity and telegram. Manila opened to world trade which opened the door to increasing number of foreign businessmen and diplomats and subsequently also increased the demand for first class accommodation facilities.

1889: The first deluxe hotel, Hotel de Oriente, opened.  

1898: United States became the colonial master of the Philippines. American expatriates increased and demand for more hotels increased

1912: Manila Hotel opened. Soon, mineral mining in the Cordilleras resulted to the conversion of Baguio City into a summer vacation destination for American expats and their families. Near Manila, other vacation spots were the hot springs of Los Banos in Laguna and the beaches of Cavite.

First half of 20th century: Limited Visitor arrivals to the Philippines was at the Port Area of Manila.

1935: First trans-Pacific passenger flight from San Francisco was done in 1935 by a huge Pan American Airline flying boat since there was no commercial airport yet in Manila. Each plane could only accommodate 25 passengers.

1937: New Zealand-born businessman Laurie Nielson opened the country’s first civilian airport in Makati City (called then as Nielson Airport and now known as Ayala Triangle).

1941: First flight of Philippine Airlines from Makati to Baguio. Only a few places outside of Manila, such as Baguio and Taal Volcano, were developed specifically for tourism. Public transport such as ships, buses and trains were regarded unreliable and unsafe.

1950: Modesto Farolan, first consul general in Hawaii, set up the Philippine Tourists and Travel Association which was patterned after the Hawaii Visitors Bureau. Its office was in a space in Manila Hotel.

1956: the government set up the Board of Travel and Tourist Industry

1960: The government started keeping records of visitor arrivals. For that year, the country attracted 51,000 visitors.

1966: The first Philippine Tourism Week was held, aimed at promoting domestic tourism and encouraging Filipinos to travel within the country.

1967: The "Visit the Philippines Year" campaign was launched, with the goal of attracting more foreign tourists to the country. The campaign was successful, with tourist arrivals reaching over 300,000.

1968: The Sheraton and the Hilton hotels opened

1969: The Intercontinental opened.

1972: Martial Law was declared and curfew was implemented. Tourism took a direct hit. Domestic tourism became non-existent as Filipinos travel only for the sole reason to visit relatives and friends. Outside the usual holidays when Filipinos can flock to provinces and beach destinations, most would not dare go to far-off places due to the possibility that they be accused of being communist rebels. Foreign visitors were limited to very few destinations such as Manila and environs, Batangas, Cavite, Baguio, Laguna, Ilocos and Banaue in Luzon. Tour programs however were still done in Cebu and some parts of Mindanao, particularly Zamboanga City, Cotabato and Davao in the early ‘70s. However, the birth of Muslim rebellion and the declining peace and order situation put a break on tourism in Mindanao.

1973: 243,000 tourists were recorded.

Mid ‘70s: More hotels were built in Manila and some provincial destinations. These include the Holiday Inn, Hyatt, the Peninsula and the Mandarin Oriental. The government focused on hosting international events such as the hosting of Ms. Universe and the fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, which was dubbed Thrilla in Manila.

1977: The University of Philippines opened up the Asian Institute of Tourism, first tourism degree course in the country.

1980: The Philippines breached the 1 million tourist arrivals

1986: Due to the declining political, economic and peace and order situation, the president of the country was deposed and forced into exile. Tourism was totally down on the ground. The tourism office launched the program, Huwag Maging Dayuhan sa Sariling Bayan, which was aimed at encouraging Filipinos to travel around the country. However, very few Pinoys would dare venture into the countryside because of the economic condition of most Pinoys and the still unstable sense of security in many places.

1987: The Philippine government launched the "Philippines: More than the Usual" tourism campaign, which aimed to promote the country's unique culture and natural attractions to international tourists. Outside the few established destinations most of which are located in the environs of Metro Manila, Cebu and Baguio City, domestic tourism was still almost irrelevant.

1987 - 1990: Numerous (seven) violent coup d’ etat were attempted in order to established military junta in place of the government. Although the attempts to grab power all failed, they caused massive impacts to the tourism industry that further set the tourism industry many years backwards. Other Asian countries that used to envy the Philippines started overtaking in terms of development and visitor arrivals.

The tourism industry was having a very hard time recovering that the infrastructure arm of the DOT, the then Philippine Tourism Authority was forced into building basketball courts in some areas as the influencing politicians could only think of basketball courts and local parks for their tourism projects. (In case you’re a little confused, implementing government bodies would be influenced by politicians such as senators and congressmen to allocate funds and projects for their constituents.

1990: A strong earthquake leveled many areas in Luzon. The most affected tourist destination was Baguio City which suffered the collapse of several hotels.

1991: The Philippine Tourism Master Plan was published. It was supposed to guide the development of tourism estates that would rival known tourist destinations abroad. However, land speculations, political issues and government limitations did not allow most of the tourism estates and study areas be developed according to the master plan. Other programs, however, became institutionalized and guided the development and local management of tourism in the country.

1991: The eruption of Mount Pinatubo, one of the largest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, further impacted the tourism industry in the northern part of the Philippines.

1992: WIth the improved peace and order situation in the country, domestic tourism gained improved traction. More destinations in the provinces opened up for the increasing number of Filipino travelers.

1994: The Department of Tourism launched the "Bring Home a Friend" campaign, which emphasized the country's natural beauty and cultural heritage and the influence of millions of Filipinos scattered in many countries to convince their foreign friends to visit the Philippines. The campaign was successful in attracting more foreign tourists.

1996: Entry of Cebu Pacific and eventual introduction of low-cost carriers in the Philippines. The “Piso” fare campaign of the LCCs almost immediately helped explode the number of domestic tourists in the Philippines.

1997: The Asian financial crisis had a negative impact on tourism in the Philippines, as many foreign tourists cut back on travel. But compared to many other Asian countries whose travel industry was greatly affected, the Philippines did not suffer severely because foreign tourism was not yet a major economic sector in the country. Further, the growth of the domestic market greatly cushioned the impact of the financial crisis. Perhaps the Filipinos were already used to crises that another one did not bother them with their travel plans.

2000: The government launched the "Philippines 2000" tourism campaign, which aimed to attract more high-end tourists to the country. The campaign was successful, with tourist arrivals reaching over two million.

2006: The Department of Tourism launched the "WOW Philippines" campaign, which focused on the country's diverse tourist destinations and unique experiences.

2007: The Holiday Economics was launched. A government program wherein workers would have the chance to have long holidays which allowed them to take longer vacations. No-work holidays that fall on a weekend or Thursday and Tuesday would mean that the paid no-work day would be implemented on a monday or friday. Coupled with the “piso fare” of the low cost carriers, this program proved to be another major influencer of the growth of domestic tourism.

2013: Super Typhoon Haiyan devastated the central part of the Philippines, including many popular tourist destinations such as Boracay and Palawan.

2016: The new government administration launched the "It's More Fun in the Philippines" campaign, which highlighted the country's friendly people, unique culture, and natural attractions.

2017 - 2019: Domestic travelers became an undeniable major force in the tourism industry with more than one trillion pesos of economic redistribution happening in the country in 2019. Many local governments fully adopted tourism as an opportunity for economic growth. Many have even prioritized tourism as their banner program in improving the economic status of their areas.

2020: Taal Volcano erupted greatly disrupted tourism in the country.

Then the pandemic happened. The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on tourism in the Philippines, with tourist arrivals dropping by over 80% compared to the previous year. The tourism industry was basically at a stand still which lasted for more than two years. Many tourism businesses, including some large hotels were forced to shut down.

2023: Covid-19 seeming to be finally under control. Health and travel restrictions were lifted and destinations started opening their borders. Tourism businesses and stakeholders started picking themselves up with the hope that the travel prior to the pandemic would return the soonest.

This is actually just scratching the surface. There are so many other events that I have failed to include. But at least, we got to get a good glimpse of the travel industry in the Philippines and the challenges that punched it in the face. Let’s hope that everything will become great, eventually.

Also, please keep in mind that while most of the info can easily be found online, a number of them were based on my personal observations when i used to work as a research officer of the Department of Tourism, an academician, and a tourism planning resource person. And I can tell you that it’s really more fun in the Philippines.

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

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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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Outlook for Philippine tourism positive – tourism chief

Published:November 9, 2022

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FRASCO TO LEAD PH DELEGATION AT THE ASEAN TOURISM FORUM 2024 IN LAOS

DOT CHIEF: SINULOG ALLOWS TOURISTS TO IMMERSE “IN AN EXPERIENCE THAT TRANSCENDS THE ORDINARY

DOT, DMW LAUNCH BALIK BAYANI SA TURISMO PROGRAM

PALAWAN GETS NOD AS WORLD TOP TRENDING DESTINATION IN 2024 BY TRIPADVISOR’S BEST OF THE BEST

DOT CHIEF: MORE LONG WEEKENDS TO BOOST DOMESTIC TOURISM IN THE COUNTRY

DOT Chief: Philippines surpasses yearend target with 5.45 million int’l visitor arrivals in 2023, int’l visitor receipts surge at PHP482.54 billion

Frasco proudly presents WTA awards to PBBM

DOT lauds PPP framework for Tourist Rest Area in Carmen, Cebu

DOT breaches industry targets for 2023; Frasco bullish on country’s continued tourism transformation under Marcos administration in 2024

Philippines cited for Global Tourism Resilience, wins World’s Best Beach, Dive, City Awards

DOT inaugurates first Tourist Rest Area in Bohol Island

PH wins big at international award-giving bodies

Philippine tourism earnings surge to 404B in first 10 months of 2023 – DOT chief

DOT hails inclusion of CRK as world’s most beautiful airport

DOT chief joins global tourism leaders in WTM Ministers’ Summit 2023 in London

Philippines, Japan ink deal on tourism cooperation

UNESCO Gastronomy City citation for Iloilo boosts gastro, creative tourism – Frasco

DOT’s Alternative Livelihood Training Program signals hope and recovery as Oriental Mindoro’s tourism industry bounces back after oil spill woes

Dot wins back-to-back best videos at world tourism organization competition.

The Philippines vies for 4 major awards at the prestigious World Travel Awards 2023

DOT chief joins high-level UNWTO Global Education Forum as panelist

The Philippines joins UNWTO General Assembly as Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific; prestigious global position held again after 24 years

DOT BARES 15 TOP LGU PROPOSALS FOR TOURISM CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE

Philippines Named Asia’s Best Cruise Destination 2023 by World Cruise Awards

Filipino Hospitality Excellence soars with DOT surpassing 100k target

TIEZA Philippine Tourism Investment Summit 2023: Uniting Public and Private Sectors to Fuel Tourism Growth

Frasco to join world tourism leaders in 25th unwto general assembly.

LOVE THE PHILIPPINES! Boracay, Palawan, Siargao voted among Asia’s best by Condé Nast Traveler readers

Tourism industry generates Php344 Billion in int’l visitor receipts in 9 months; Frasco seeks Senators’ support to usher in the “Golden Era” of Philippine tourism

DOT launches Tourist Assistance Call Center

Tourism chief visits Tawi-Tawi in PHL, assures LGU, tourism stakeholders of Marcos admin’s full support

Phl records more than 4m foreign visitors; dot optimistic on robust rebound of tourism.

Film Heritage building to rise, boost PH film tourism

DOT chief bares bold prospects for PH tourism at Global Tourism Economy Forum

Frasco to speak at UNWTO Global Tourism Economy Forum

DOT, TPB bring back on-site PHITEX 2023 in Cebu

Frasco thanks lawmakers for the swift approval and support for increase of Php 2.7 B DOT budget

DOT’s Bisita, Be My Guest program awards first raffle winners

Philippines’ FIBA hosting boosts hotel occupancy, visitor arrivals – Tourism Chief

1st Philippine Tourism Dive Dialogue unites Dive Industry: 37B raked in 2022

Boost in PH medical tourism seen with public-private convergence

Philippines wins “Asia’s Leading Dive Destination” at prestigious World Travel Awards 2023

DOT affirms support to peace and security efforts under Marcos administration

Frasco cites PBBM’s policies, programs for the industry at PTM 2023

DOT inks deal with Cebu LGU for more Tourist Rest Areas, “Heritage City” Carcar thanks DOT for TRA

DOT in full support to FIBA World Cup Opening Day

DOT, TESDA ink deal to expand tourism education, reinforce tourism training opportunities

DOT, NCIP ink partnership to empower indigenous peoples, protect and promote cultural heritage through tourism

Lawmakers laud tourism initiatives, bat for higher 2024 budget for DOT

PHL records Php 286B tourism receipts from January to July; Frasco bares efforts to support tourism in Central Visayas

PBBM’s prioritization makes tourism among top drivers of economic growth– DOT Chief

DOT inaugurates first Tourist Rest Area in Mindanao; Frasco bares plan to build 15 more TRAs across the country

Dot records more inbound flights to phl, increase in domestic air routes.

Tourism Chief highlights Culinary Tourism in PHL at World Chefs Asia President Forum 2023

NMP-Cebu to spur tourism development in Visayas Region—Frasco

DOT Chief welcomes e-Visa system for Chinese tourists

DOT positions PHL as one of Asia’s most LGBT-friendly destinations

From courtside to paradise: DOT supports FIBA World Cup hosting with Philippine Tour Packages

DOT bares tourism milestones under PBBM’s first year in office; Secretary Frasco optimistic on exceeding industry targets for 2023

PHL int’l tourist arrivals breach 3M mark; tourism receipts surge at P212.47 billion

Frasco inaugurates first ever DOT Tourist Rest Area in PHL

Pbbm trusts frasco, tourism chief gets widespread support.

Frasco launches Philippines Hop-On-Hop-Off for Manila

DOT chief grateful for continued support from lawmakers, employees

Love the Philippines draws widespread support

DOT’s enhanced branding is Philippines’ Love Letter to the world

Batanes joins UNWTO International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories inclusion is a manifestation of Philippines’ successful sustainability efforts in local destinations – DOT chief

The Philippines elected as Vice President of UNWTO General Assembly after 24 Years, nabs Chairmanship of Commission for East Asia and the Pacific

DOT eyes increased arrivals from Cambodia

DOT welcomes positive tourism figures for FY2022; vows sustained industry recovery drive under the Marcos administration

Ph vies for six nominations for the wta 2023.

DOT rallies support of tourism stakeholders on digitalization initiatives

Heritage and Arts Tours in San Juan City get support from DOT

Tourism chief, Deputy Speaker Frasco donate for education of Pagsanjan boatmen’s children

Tour Guides to get more livelihood with Digital Bookings

DOT commits full support on Laguna’s local tourism resurgence; vows for more tourism projects in the province

TWG convened to drive up CRK utilization; travel and tourism to remain ‘spark of hope’ for Clark – Secretary Frasco

Philippines wins Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year Award (Non-OIC)

Dot supports malacañang heritage tours.

The country’s colorful marine life takes the spotlight in DOT’s Anilao Underwater Shootout

DOT, DND, DILG forge pact to make Mindanao a peaceful and viable tourist destination

DOT, PRA ink partnership

DOT lauds Rosquillos Festival’s showcase of local culture, contribution to local tourism

PHL participation in int’l, local travel and trade fairs yields more than P3 billion in business leads—DOT Chief

More than 43k workers receive dot training on the filipino brand of service excellence (fbse).

DOT vows support to SOCCSKSARGEN, Mindanao

Pbbm approval of phl tourism plan to spur tourism transformation, employment, philippines’ int’l visitor arrivals breach 2m.

DOT lauds PATA’s initiative to rebuild tourism communities in Laguna, Pagsanjan Falls

Filipino tourism frontliners recognized during DOT’s 50th founding anniversary celebration

DOT supports new country brand under the Marcos administration

DOT welcomes the resumption of chartered flights to PHL top destination Boracay

Medical Tourism pushed by Marcos Administration with strategic global partnership – DOT Chief

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

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

Dot reports increase in domestic tourism in 2021.

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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Lack of Chinese visitors hinders PH tourism growth

Photo by Jack Jarilla

The slow return of Chinese tourists has been holding back travel recovery in the Philippines, Bank of America (BofA) said in a new report that highlighted the “uneven” recovery in Asia tourism.

As the region’s tourism sector enters the “last” leg of recovery from the pandemic’s onslaught, BofA said the Philippines, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan were the “laggards” in Asia as tourist arrivals in these destinations have yet to reach prepandemic levels.

In the Philippines, BofA noted that foreign visitor arrivals were still 76 percent of prepandemic levels as of February this year, albeit much better than Hong Kong’s 73.7 percent and Taiwan’s January 2024 figure of 69.6 percent.

Among the laggards, BofA said China was an “outlier” after it reopened its economy much later than other Asian destinations. Data compiled by the bank showed foreign tourist arrivals in China were 36.3 percent below prepandemic level as of December 2023.

In turn, the later reopening of China’s economy weighed on tourism recovery in countries that heavily depend on Chinese holidaymakers, such as the Philippines and Hong Kong.

Data compiled by BofA showed Chinese arrivals are only tracking at 20 to 30 percent of prepandemic levels in the Philippines, below trends elsewhere in the region. And the recovery is unlikely to speed up anytime soon, with BofA noting the “changing preferences” of Chinese consumers.

“The typical Chinese traveler these days is increasingly interested in exploring domestic cities that offer unique cultural experiences. This has also slowed their return to international destinations,” BofA said.

“The return of Chinese travelers might be a gradual process,” it added.

On the flip side, tourism is now back to prepandemic vigor in Japan and Vietnam as they benefited from the weakness of their currencies.

BofA said Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand were among the “hopefuls” in Asia after seeing a sharp rebound in international arrivals in recent months. Meanwhile, India, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia were in the “middle of the pack” whose visitor entries are tracking at 80 to 85 percent of prepandemic levels so far.

For this year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) forecasts tourism receipts—a source of dollars for the economy—to grow by 50 percent. That would contribute to the projected $700 million dollar surplus in 2024 which, if realized, would be smaller than the $3.7 billion windfall recorded in 2023.

Moving forward, BofA said Asian economies with falling currencies would continue to attract more foreign visitors that are looking for cheap holiday destinations.

“FX colleagues expect currencies across Asia to strengthen across the board against the USD over the next two years but remain weak by historical standards,” the Bank said.

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“We therefore think countries with weaker currencies, particularly Japan, will continue to attract tourists in the near and medium term,” it added. INQ

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Lack of Chinese visitors hinders Philippines tourism growth

Tuesday, 16 Apr 2024

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Pedestrians in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City, Metro Manila, the Philippines, on Saturday, April 6, 2024. The Philippines trimmed its economic growth forecasts for this year and next amid stubborn inflation and elevated interest rates, while widening its fiscal deficit estimates to support higher spending. Photographer: Veejay Villafranca/Bloomberg

MANILA: The slow return of Chinese tourists has been holding back travel recovery in the Philippines, the Bank of America (BofA) says in a report that highlights the “uneven” recovery in Asia tourism.

As the region’s tourism sector enters the last leg of recovery from the pandemic’s onslaught, BofA said the Philippines, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan were the “laggards” in Asia as tourist arrivals in these destinations have yet to reach pre-pandemic levels.

In the Philippines, BofA noted that foreign visitor arrivals were still 76% of pre-pandemic levels as of February this year, albeit much better than Hong Kong’s 73.7% and Taiwan’s January 2024 figure of 69.6%.

Among the laggards, BofA said China was an “outlier” after it reopened its economy much later than other Asian destinations. Data compiled by the bank showed foreign tourist arrivals in China were 36.3% below pre-pandemic level as of December 2023.

In turn, the later reopening of China’s economy weighed on tourism recovery in countries that heavily depended on Chinese holidaymakers, such as the Philippines and Hong Kong.

Data compiled by BofA showed Chinese arrivals are only tracking at 20% to 30% of pre-pandemic levels in the Philippines, below trends elsewhere in the region. And the recovery is unlikely to speed up anytime soon, with BofA noting the “changing preferences” of Chinese consumers.

“The typical Chinese traveller these days is increasingly interested in exploring domestic cities that offer unique cultural experiences. This has also slowed their return to international destinations,” BofA said.

“The return of Chinese travellers might be a gradual process,” it added.

On the flip side, tourism is now back to pre-pandemic vigor in Japan and Vietnam as they benefitted from the weakness of their currencies.

BofA said Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand were among the “hopefuls” in Asia after seeing a sharp rebound in international arrivals in recent months.

Meanwhile, India, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia were in the “middle of the pack” whose visitor entries are tracking at 80% to 85% of pre-pandemic levels so far.

For this year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) forecasts tourism receipts – a source of US dollars for the economy – to grow by 50%.

That would contribute to the projected US$700mil surplus in 2024 which, if realised, would be smaller than the US$3.7bil windfall recorded in 2023.

Moving forward, BofA said Asian economies with falling currencies would continue to attract more foreign visitors that are looking for cheap holiday destinations.

“Foreign exchange colleagues expect currencies in Asia to strengthen across the board against the US dollar over the next two years but remain weak by historical standards,” BSP said. — The Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN

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