The Philippines earned P3.36 trillion in tourism receipts for 2023, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said on Saturday, Oct. 12.
DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said such figure was equivalent to 8.6-percent contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Australia has emerged as a vital source of visitor arrivals, with nearly 200,000 Australians visiting the Philippines as of Oct. 7.
“We aim to welcome even more Australian tourists, positioning Australia as our fifth largest source market,” she said during the "Love the Philippines: Tourism and Travel Forum" held in Perth, Western Australia.
Frasco pointed out that Australian tourists spend an average of 13 nights in the Philippines, with 62 percent being repeat visitors.
She underscored the DOT’s initiatives to enhance global competitiveness through improved connectivity and a diverse range of tourism products, including cruise and dive tourism, gastronomy, and health and wellness.
These strategies aim to capture a larger share of the Australian market and stimulate further growth in the tourism sector.
The forum, organized by the DOT-Sydney Office in collaboration with the Australia Philippines Business Council (APBC), featured insights from Filipino community leaders and Australian stakeholders, demonstrating strong support for the Philippines' tourism promotion efforts.