2023 Foreign Tourist Visit Target in the Philippines Within Reach

The Department of Tourism (DOT) said the country is about to hit its target number of foreign tourist visits in 2023.

According to the report of DOT, as of September 19, 2023, the country had welcomed more than 3.87 million foreign tourists, or 80.77 percent of the annual target.

During this period, the Philippines earned PHP 316.9 billion in revenue. According to the DOT, most foreign tourists were from South Korea, the United States, and Japan.

The DOT Secretary, Christina Frasco, is optimistic that the numbers will continue to increase, especially with the commencement of business-to-business meetings as part of the 2023 Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) on September 20. She expressed a commitment to make the Philippines a strong player in the tourism industry in Asia.

Frasco also shared DOT’s plans and programs, which include promoting ecotourism, developing tourism communities across the country, encouraging private sector involvement in heritage protection, diversifying the country’s tourism offerings, and other initiatives to benefit those involved in the tourism sector.

Additionally, the DOT plans to add 15 more rest areas across the country in 2024 to enhance the travel experience for tourists.

The DOT also implemented e-Visa processing last August to boost tourist arrivals from China. (ASC)