DOT halfway through yearend target; records 4M foreign visitors

The Philippines welcomed just over 4.08 million foreign tourists in the first nine months of 2024, marking a 10.4 percent increase from the same period last year, according to data from the Department of Tourism. Foreign tourists made up about 92.0 percent of total arrivals, which also included individuals classified as overseas Filipinos.

In total, the country recorded just under 4.44 million arrivals by September 30, including 355,692 entries by overseas Filipinos. This segment, referring to Philippine passport holders living abroad permanently, saw a 4.8 percent rise compared to the previous year.

The Philippines stands out as one of the few places in Asia with a large casino industry that is open to both locals and foreign visitors.

South Korea remained the top source of foreign tourists, with nearly 1.20 million arrivals from January to September, representing about 27.0 percent of the total. This figure reflected a 12.1 percent increase from last year.

The United States ranked second, contributing 694,142 arrivals in the first nine months of 2024, about 15.6 percent of the total. This marked a 1.7 percent increase year-on-year.

Japan followed in third, providing 293,658 visitors, which accounted for nearly 6.6 percent of all arrivals. This figure rose 31.7 percent from the previous year.

China, which dropped to fourth place in August, supplied about 260,134 visitors by September 30, accounting for about 5.9 percent of total arrivals. This was a 30.3 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

The Philippines is aiming to attract 7.7 million foreign visitors this year, following the achievement of its 2023 forecast. The country welcomed 5.45 million international visitors in 2023, 91.8 percent of whom were foreigners.

In late July, the Department of Tourism expressed optimism that the country could surpass this year’s target for tourist receipts, as visitor numbers have consistently exceeded expectations.

Related Posts