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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Philippine tourism surges to 6.48 million arrivals yet full recovery still out of reach

Philippine tourism surges to 6.48 million arrivals yet full recovery still out of reach

Published Jan 21, 2026 04:55 pm

At A Glance

  • International arrivals in the Philippines reached 6.48 million in 2025, still below pre-pandemic levels of around eight million.
  • Top source countries: South Korea, United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, and India; China expected to see more visitors after 14-day visa-free entry.
  • Data gaps between BI figures and the e-travel system are being addressed by the DOT, BI, and DICT.
  • Challenges: Suspension of Chinese e-visas and natural disasters affecting arrivals.
  • DOT initiatives: ₱100-million marketing budget and airport upgrades, including partial rollout of e-gates at NAIA.
Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco (Photo from DOT)
Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco (Photo from DOT)
International arrivals in the Philippines climbed to 6.48 million in 2025, a strong post-pandemic recovery that remained below pre-pandemic levels of about eight million, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said.
DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said the Bureau of Immigration (BI) recorded 5.9 million foreign tourists.
Around 500,000 were foreign nationals under other travel categories, and over 40,000 were overseas Filipinos.
Frasco noted that these figures highlight a gap with the government’s e-travel system, which currently reflects only 5.85 million arrivals.
She attributed the discrepancy to travelers exempted from e-travel reporting, such as foreign dignitaries, diplomats and their families, cruise passengers, and chartered flight arrivals.
The DOT is coordinating with the BI and the DICT to close these data gaps and ensure accurate visitor counts.
The tourism chief said the difference between BI data and e-travel records has steadily grown—from roughly 200,000 in 2023 to 486,000 in 2024, and about 618,000 in 2025.
She stressed that passport-stamped BI data remains the most accurate measure of actual arrivals.
International arrivals continue to rise, led by visitors from South Korea and the United States.
Strong growth was also seen from Japan, Australia, Canada, and India due to visa-free policies.
The recent 14-day visa-free entry for Chinese tourists is expected to further boost numbers.
Frasco acknowledged challenges, including the prolonged suspension of Chinese e-visas and natural disasters, noting that arrivals tend to decline after major incidents.
Despite these hurdles, she highlighted ongoing DOT promotional efforts with a modest ₱100-million marketing budget, far below competing destinations.
Airport upgrades, including the partial rollout of e-gates at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, aim to streamline arrivals and ensure proper recording of all international visitors as tourism recovery continues.

Related Tags

PH tourism International arrivals 2025 Bureau of Immigration Travel recovery COVID-19 tourism impact
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