TOURISM GAINS. In welcoming a new era under the Marcos administration, the Department of Tourism unveiled the enhanced campaign “Love the Philippines” in June 2023 and afterwards, in key cities abroad. Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the department wants to transform the country into a tourism powerhouse and to provide more opportunities for employment. (Photo courtesy of DOT)
MANILA – The Marcos administration’s focus on developing the tourism has shown remarkable results as the industry recorded its highest growth in 2023.
In its accomplishment report ahead of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address Monday, the Department of Tourism (DOT) hailed 2023 as a banner year for the sector, citing its “monumental performance” while still striving to recover from the impacts of the pandemic.
Tourism contributed an 8.6 percent share to the gross domestic product in 2023, amounting to at least PHP2.09 trillion, the highest in 24 years according to the DOT.
Total inbound and domestic visitor receipts, meanwhile, totaled PHP3.367 trillion, showing a 75.3 percent increase from 2022.
For Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, the Chief Executive's "prioritization of the industry enabled it to reach record-breaking numbers" and other notable milestones.
“The President's leadership and clear vision for the country’s tourism transcendence have guided us in the Department of Tourism to craft and implement innovative programs to elevate the quality of tourism services, expand tourism opportunities nationwide and enhance the tourists’ experience resulting in longer stays and more spending,” Frasco said in the report.
“Together with our partners across government agencies and the private sector, we have worked collaboratively towards the President’s aspiration for the Philippines to take its rightful position in the global tourism stage. Tourism has indeed proven to be a powerful force for good, providing livelihood to 6.21 million Filipinos,” she added.
The Philippines also posted a net trade surplus of USD2.45 billion in travel last year, where foreign visitors spent more than what Filipinos shelled out for travel abroad -- a first in 15 years.
Tourism investments saw significant growth, totaling PHP509 billion and reflecting an impressive increase of over 34 percent compared to 2022.
The Philippines registered 5.45 million international visitors in 2023, exceeding its target of 4.8 million international visitors.
Since the beginning of 2024, the Philippines has already welcomed 3,326,354 international visitors.
In a recent interview, Philippine Hotel Owners Association executive director Benito Bengzon Jr. said the awards the country received in the past years demonstrate the effectiveness of the government's tourism initiatives.
“The awards and citations that the country has received in the last two years clearly showed that the plans and programs of the Department of Tourism under Secretary Frasco have been very effective,” he said.
“On the part of the hotel stakeholders, we are committed to supporting the marketing and promotions efforts, and that particular commitment will be by way of more hotels, more resorts, and more accommodation establishments,” he added.
Most recently, the country was acknowledged at the 2024 GovMedia Conference & Awards in Singapore, which recognizes outstanding government initiatives in Asia.
The DOT’s Filipino Brand of Service Excellence Training Program was awarded Tourism Training Program of the Year, and the DOT’s Tourist Rest Area (TRA) program was awarded Tourism Infrastructure Project of the Year.
The DOT also reaped four major awards at the World Travel Awards (WTA) 2023 and reclaimed its 2022 titles as the World’s Leading Dive Destination and World’s Leading Beach Destination.
For the first time, it bagged the World’s Leading City Destination for Manila.
The Philippines likewise received the Global Tourism Resilience Award, one of only five countries and destinations in the world to receive the inaugural 2023 WTA citation.
The Philippines was also acclaimed Destination of the Year at the 9th TripZilla Excellence Awards 2023.
Enhanced campaign
On top of the already popular sun and beach destinations in the Philippines, the DOT said it will continue promoting destinations that offer a glimpse into the country’s heritage, culture, history and gastronomy scene.
Over the past years, it increased promotion activities for Mindanao and showcased the region’s “readiness for tourism."
Last year, it unveiled its enhanced tourism campaign “Love the Philippines” locally and in key cities abroad, and mounted the Philippine Experience: Culture, Heritage & Arts Caravans Program across nine regions.
To strengthen the country’s cruise tourism portfolio, the DOT, in partnership with the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Immigration, launched the Cruise Visa Waiver Program to streamline visa processes and attract more international cruise ships to the country.
To date, the country’s dive destinations is already at 120 sites and counting.
To further support this portfolio, the DOT promised additional hyperbaric chambers in major dive destinations such as Batangas, Bohol, Boracay in Aklan, Cebu, Palawan and Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro.
Further, the DOT boosted medical tourism by releasing updated accreditation guidelines for dental clinics and engaging in public-private partnerships with international and local medical institutions, including Agora, St. Luke’s Medical Center and The Medical City, to enhance services and attract more medical tourists.
Developing programs, infra
As the country intensifies promotions to entice both local and foreign tourists, the DOT continues to develop programs to make traveling around the country more convenient.
In partnership with its infrastructure arm, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, it has launched TRAs in 10 strategic locations nationwide.
These facilities, fully equipped with clean restrooms and showers, charging stations, information and pasalubong (souvenir) centers showcasing products that support the livelihoods of micro, small, and medium enterprises, lactation room, and lounge areas, can be freely accessed by tourists as they go around the country.
Frasco committed to adding at least 22 more TRAs this year, bringing the total number to 32.
In addition, the DOT launched the Tourism Champions Challenge, where 15 local government units nationwide received funding support totaling PHP255 million to implement their innovative infrastructure projects.
The DOT’s Tourism Roads Infrastructure Program, a convergence with the Department of Public Works and Highways, meanwhile, resulted in the construction of over 338 kilometers of roads leading to emerging and lesser-known destinations in 2023 alone.
The DOT is also coordinating with the Department of Transportation and other stakeholders in route development, including improving the country’s gateways and enhancing the utilization of regional gateways such as the Clark International Airport in Pampanga.
Several flagship tourism programs were likewise launched in the past year, including the first-ever Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tours in Makati, Pasay, and Manila; a multi-platform Tourist Assistance Call Center; and the enhanced Travel Philippines mobile application for digital access to information on all regions.
The DOT prioritized tourist safety through its Tourist Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection partnership program with the Philippine National Police, successfully training 7,910 officers on the program and expanding the trainings to police auxiliary forces in local government units.
The DOT likewise developed the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Manual in 2023, which seeks to ensure the sector’s resilience against natural disasters by promoting preparedness and safety across tourism sites.
Showcasing PH to the world
In 2023 alone, the DOT and its marketing promotions arm, the Tourism Promotions Board, generated PHP6.27 billion in sales lead by participating in various international tourism events.
In strengthening bilateral tourism ties, the DOT signed and renewed tourism development agreements with Japan, Brunei and Qatar.
Speaking at the opening of the Philippine MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) Conference 2024 on July 11, Anita Mendiratta, special advisor to UN Tourism Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili, agreed that the country’s recovery rate over the past year had been "remarkable," not just in the number of tourists and revenues.
"It's in the return of jobs, the return of livelihoods, which really is the heartbeat of tourism,” she said. “[T]he way in which the Philippines is leading tourism in the world is exemplary.”
In the coming years, Frasco said the DOT would continue working to transform the country into a tourism powerhouse and to provide more opportunities for employment.
“Tourism growth for the Philippines in 2023, being the highest ever in recorded history, reflects the relentless hard work and unwavering commitment devoted by so many to the phenomenal success of Philippine tourism knowing that millions of lives depend on it,” Frasco said.
“The DOT is optimistic of achieving even greater heights for Philippine tourism this year and in the coming years, as we work towards the President’s vision to transform the country into a tourism powerhouse and to provide more opportunities to uplift the lives of our fellow Filipinos,” she added. (PNA)
