Frasco: Philippine tourism gets robust start for 2025

The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) expressed its optimism with regard to drawing more foreign tourists to the country following excellent figures in January 2025.

During the opening of the 32nd Philippine Travel Tour Expo on Friday, 7th February, at the SMX Convention Centre in Pasay, tourism secretary Christina Frasco said that inbound tourism grew last month, up by 9.13 percent compared to the same period in 2024.  

Based on the most recent data, 626,900 foreign nationals came to the Philippines in January.

In 2024, the Philippines recorded some 5.94 million in visitor arrivals, about 510,000 of whom are overseas Filipinos. 

Frasco said: “What that indicates is a very strong and robust start for Philippine tourism and for our destinations. This nine percent growth, we are seeing it across the board in terms of our source markets. So, we’re very excited that the demand for Philippine tourism is increasing.”

She added that the DOT is hopeful Manila could sustain this trajectory, especially with interventions in terms of the barriers to entry.

Better communication for better results

Aside from the department’s ongoing campaigns, Frasco remarked that the DOT is also working to make travel for foreign tourists easier, especially for the country’s top market, by training more South Korean-speaking tourism call center agents.

The DOT, she said, is now in the  process of adding more foreign language-speaking agents, including Mandarin speakers.

She said: “We view this as an opportunity also to further attract and grow our global markets, because if you are able to provide the convenience of a call center agent that speaks the language spoken by this foreign tourist, it’s easier for us to convey information about our destinations.”

At the same time, the department continues to set up first aid centers across major tourist destinations, including La Union, Boracay, Bohol, and Palawan.

Shifting trends

For its part, the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) which organised the event said trends and the behavior among travelers have dramatically evolved over the years.

More recently, both foreign and domestic travellers have expressed a preference for experiential travel, as well as destinations that have good food, both of which are offered in the Philippines.

PTAA vice-president Jaison Yang opines: “I think social media also changed the demography or the market. Travellers are now looking for more experiential trips, they want good experiences regardless of the price. Also, almost all travellers today have become foodies, and that is a major change.”

Yang added that Boracay remains, while Siargao, Bohol, and Siquijor follow in terms of popularity.

He said: “Perhaps if there were more flights to Siargao at competitive rates, it could potentially surpass Boracay.”