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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Luzon devider Puerto Galera hopes for more Chinese tourists in 2026

Puerto Galera hopes for more Chinese tourists in 2026

Published Mar 11, 2026 06:33 pm
THE Puerto Galera booth in Shanghai, China. (PIO PG FB)
THE Puerto Galera booth in Shanghai, China. (PIO PG FB)
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro – The local government of Puerto Galera is optimistic that the number of tourists from China will increase this year following its successful participation in the international Diving Resort Travel (DRT) Expo held recently in Shanghai, China.
Vice Mayor Rocky D. Ilagan, who headed the Puerto Galera delegation, said many Chinese attendees during the three-day event from March 6 to 8 visited their booth and inquired about the diving spots and tourism packages for foreign visitors.
The town’s presence in Shanghai was an offshoot of an award from the Department of Tourism-Tourist Promotion Board (TPB) that recognized it as the No. 1 dive destination in the Philippines, outpacing Palawan and Bohol.
The Philippine Tourism Excellence Award for Dive Destination 2025-2027 granted Puerto Galera complimentary participation in all international dive destination exhibitions, not only in China but also in other countries in Europe and other parts of the world.
The award, which is considered the DOT’s most prestigious recognition for 2025 to 2027, was given to Puerto Galera for its exceptional marine biodiversity and world-class underwater attractions that long enticed international diving enthusiasts.
The TPB brought Puerto Galera to China to promote it as a premier dive and beach destination to expand its global visibility and tourist arrivals, said Ilagan.
The DOT is also promoting the town’s status as a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve and world-class diving sites as part of an intensified promotion efforts in China.
The agency said the pace of recovery of the Chinese market continues to significantly influence the Philippines’ overall visitor arrival figures for 2025, as China remains one of the country’s largest and most important source markets.
DOT records showed that as of Dec. 20, 2025, the Philippines has recorded 5.606 million international visitor arrivals, with China ranking sixth, contributing 262,144 arrivals, behind South Korea, the United States, Japan, Australia, and Canada.
DOT reintroduced the Philippine electronic visa (e-Visa) in November 2025 which it said was a critical step towards restoring confidence and easing travel for Chinese tourists with stronger gains expected this first quarter of 2026.

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