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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Koreans, Chinese top Philippine visitors; foreign arrivals up 6% –DOT

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Koreans and Chinese topped the nationalities who visited the country, according to data from the Department of Tourism.

Koreans, Chinese top Philippine visitors; foreign arrivals up 6% –DOT
MORE FUN. Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat talks about Summer Destinations under the ‘More Fun in the Philippines’ program during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum at Cafe Adriatico in Malate,  Manila. Lino Santos

The DOT also said that slightly more than a million and a half foreigners (1.6 million) visited the country in the first two months of 2019, or a six-percent increase from the 1.4 million tourists for the same period last year.

“Growth rate natin is about 6 percent. Maganda ang takbo natin so far,” Tourism Undersecretry Benito Bengzon Jr. said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum in Cafe Adriatico in Manila.

DOT Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat, for her part,  said they are targeting 8.2 million visits by the end of the year.

DOT record said that Korea remains as the top visitors in the country with 180,890 visits in February 2019 alone, followed by China with 174,175 visits.

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They are followed by the USA, Japan, and Taiwan, which also made it to the top 5 international markets that made visits to the Philippines.

Their top destinations were Manila and Cebu.

Puyat also said that there was an increase in domestic tourism.

“Our domestic tourism is 97 million,” she said. “Right now, Filipinos like traveling all around the Philippines.”

Puyat added that the DOT has already surpassed the 2022 target, which was 89 million, as stated in the National Tourism Development Plan.

“But we’ve already reached 97 million so we are calibrating kung ano na yung bagong goal natin for 2022,” Puyat said.

The DOT attributed the boost in tourism to improving access and connectivity around the country. Puyat said the country now has more international gateways, and more are being built.

“It’s because of the access and connectivity. [It’s] better now. But of course, we are continuously working with the Department of Transportation on rehabilitating the airports,” Puyat said.

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