DOT: PHL Tourist Arrivals Rise 11% in Jan-Feb 2017

The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Thursday said that foreign tourist arrivals to the Philippines grew by around 11 percent in the first two months of the year to 1.21 million.

In a press conference in Makati City, DOT Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. said foreign tourist arrivals grew 10.88 percent to 1,210,817 in the first two months this year.

Meanwhile, 579, 178 foreign tourists visited the Philippines for the month of February alone.

Bengzon noted that this growth rate was higher than the global average of around four percent and higher than the Asian average of 5.5 percent.

Korea, US, China, Japan and Australia remain the top visitor markets.

Despite concerns on tourist safety following a recent encounter between security forces and a terror group in Bohol and several travel warnings issued against the Philippines, DOT assured that the Philippines remained a safe place to visit.

DOT also said that a minor decline in tourism numbers in the coming months would not affect the target of acquiring 6.5 to 7 million foreign tourist arrivals by yearend. (PNA) AZER N. PARROCHA