Some 5.45-million international tourists visited the Philippines last year, surpassing the 4.8-million target; for the first two months of 2024, 1.2-million arrivals have been recorded, setting the pace for achieving the 7.7-million target. President Marcos is determined to breach the 10-million mark and he has placed infrastructure development as the top priority task.

The government has prioritized the upgrading of regional gateways capable of handling international flights so that visitors can fly in directly to their destinations, instead of transiting in Manila. Be that as it may, the massive redevelopment and upgrading of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is already on track after this was awarded to a private consortium led by San Miguel Corporation CEO Ramon Ang.

Aside from NAIA, the country’s other major international airports are Mactan-Cebu, Clark Field-Pampanga, Francisco Bangoy-Davao, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, Kalibo, and Puerto Princesa. Direct flights from abroad into these airports facilitate tourism travel. Also recently upgraded were the airports in Caticlan-Boracay, Panglao-Bohol, Bacolod-Silay, and Daraga-Legazpi that serve as feeders to popular tourist destinations.

According to a recent Nikkei Asia report based on publicly available data from the ASEAN countries, total visitors to the region in 2023 surpassed the 100-million mark, but still around 30-percent lower than pre-Covid levels. Thailand topped the list with over 28-million, followed closely by Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia, with the Philippines coming in sixth.

During President Marcos’ state visit to Brunei Darussalam a fortnight ago, the two countries signed a landmark agreement to enhance tourism cooperation. This followed closely the revitalization of tourism development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Previously, the Department of Tourism (DOT) firmed up programs to promote the military aspect of the country’s cultural heritage, in collaboration with the Intramuros Administration and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

While in South Korea last month, Secretary Frasco announced a joint initiative with the Department of Health (DOH) to set up first aid facilities and hyperbaric chambers for dive safety, highlighting the granular, customer-centric tourism promotion program. South Korea is the number one source of foreign tourists with a pre-Covid record of nearly two million arrivals, or nearly 25-percent of total arrivals.

President Marcos also led the inauguration of a Tourism Rest Area in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte that would serve as a prototype of many similar facilities aimed at enhancing tourists’ comfort and making their visits more memorable. Focus on promoting gastronomy tourism, or preference for unique Filipino cuisine, is another salient touchpoint.

Appearing recently before the Senate, Secretary Frasco emphasized that aside from expanding capacity, another priority is to improve operational efficiency to assure travelers and visitors a seamless, hassle-free experience. Finally, the DOT is also accentuating on sustainability “by adopting eco-friendly practices to reduce carbon footprints and manage waste efficiently.”

Indeed, the country's comprehensive tourism promotion and development efforts are all about winning the hearts and minds of tourists, both domestic and foreign, to Love the Philippines and enjoy world-class Filipino hospitality.