Philippines surpasses 4M tourist arrivals

Four million tourists have already visited the Philippines this year, government data showed on Friday.

According to the Department of Tourism, the Philippines welcomed 4,005,465 tourists from January 1 to September 29, 2023, contributing P316 billion to the economy.

''We are very close to our target of 4.8 million by the end of this year. Kaya naman po (That is why) I continue to encourage our friends from all over the world to show their love for the Philippines," Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco told reporters.

Of the total arrivals for the nine-month period, 91.58% or 3,668,039 are foreign visitors, while 8.42% or 337,426 are overseas Filipinos.

South Korea was the country's top source market, with 1,046,176 (26.12%) tourists, followed by the United States with 679,090 (16.95%); Japan with 221,671 (5.53%); China with 194,258 (4.85%); and Australia with 187,143 (4.67%).

Rounding out the top 10 are Canada with 164,168 (4.10%); Taiwan with 146,396 (3.65%); the United Kingdom with 114,096 (2.85%); Singapore with 107,674 (2.69%); and Malaysia with 72,008 (1.80%).

“As we continue to pursue tourism that is anchored on our strength as a warm and hospitable people, by showing our visitors the multitude of reasons to Love the Philippines, and by espousing inclusivity and sustainability in our plans and programs if only to ensure that no one gets left behind in our path to recovery, we only see these numbers growing in the coming months,” Frasco said. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News