Q1-2024 sees 16 million Filipinos employed in the tourism sector

The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) states that more than 16 million Filipinos now work in the tourism industry as of the end of the first quarter of this year.

DOT secretary Christina Frasco made the report during the deliberations of the Philippine House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations, as she presented the proposed departmental budget for next year amounting to PHP3.394-billion.

Frasco said during the deliberations: “Tourism is one of the strongest pillars of the Philippines’ economy, driving exponential growth, generating revenue for small and medium enterprises, and providing employment for millions of Filipinos.”

The secretary went on to explain that tourism was an economic powerhouse for the country in 2023. The combined domestic and foreign visitor receipts brought in over PHP3.36 trillion in revenues for travel and tourism-related businesses.

Frasco added: “These remarkable figures are also reflected in the growth rate of tourism in the country, marking the highest ever growth rate tourism has ever experienced at nearly 48 percent.”

A sizeable contribution

The Philippine tourism sector presently contributes 8.6 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP.) It also registered a trade surplus of over USD2.45 billion in travel services in the first quarter of the year.

It is also worth noting that the Philippine tourism industry surpassed all of the national tourism development plan’s baseline targets in 2023.

Frasco explained to congressmen that these are all notable indicators of the importance of tourism in terms of the national economy.

She added: “We achieved this, because apart from the domestic and international tourist arrivals that have come into our country, we now have more products and destinations to offer. The result of which is a higher length of stay among our tourists and more spending along the circuits developed across various destinations in our regions.”

Also cited in the secretary’s congressional report was the World Travel and Tourism Council’s findings on how the Philippines now has the biggest domestic tourism market in Southeast Asia, which was valued at over PHP52 billion.