The Department of Tourism (DoT) has officially announced that the Philippines has surpassed its target of 4.8 million international visitor arrivals. The announcement was made by Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco at the inaugural Philippine Golf Tourism Summit, which took place at the Grand Hyatt Manila on November 28.
As of November 27, the country has received a total of 4,822,530 visitors, including 4,430,725 foreign tourists and 391,805 returning overseas Filipinos. Key source markets for international arrivals include South Korea, the US, Japan, China, and Australia.
Secretary Frasco underscored the pivotal role of tourism in driving economic growth and job creation across the nation. She also highlighted the positive impact of the National Tourism Development Plan 2023 to 2028, approved by President Marcos, on the country’s tourism strategies.
Frasco attributed this achievement to the liberalisation of visa policies, the development of tourist rest areas and roads, as well as various initiatives implemented by the DoT to attract visitors. Additionally, the DoT is placing emphasis on promoting the Philippines as a global sports tourism hub, particularly in the realm of golf.
The Philippines is home to over 100 golf courses situated in Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and Santa Barbara Golf Course in Iloilo Province, which stands as one of the oldest golf courses in Asia. Frasco expressed optimism about the potential of golf tourism, asserting that it represents a promising frontier for the country’s tourism industry.
Furthermore, she expressed hope that the Philippine Golf Tourism Summit would serve as a platform to gather insights, recommendations, and concerns from industry stakeholders, ultimately leading to informed decisions and policies that align with both national and local government initiatives.