The Philippines fell short of its tourist arrival target for 2024, recording 5.95 million foreign visitors, well below the goal of 7.7 million.
Despite missing the target, the country saw a significant year-on-year increase, with arrivals rising by 9.5 percent from 5.45 million in 2023. This marks the highest number of foreign visitors since 2019, when 8.26 million tourists arrived before the global travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
December 2024 recorded the highest number of arrivals in a single month, with 598,493 foreign tourists, but was only up 5.9 percent increase from the 565,351 in December 2023.
South Korea continued to be the largest source of tourists, contributing 1.57 million visitors, or 26% of total arrivals. This was an 8.2 percent increase from the previous year. Japan, on the other hand, saw the most significant growth, with a 27 percent increase in arrivals, reaching 388,167.
The United States ranked second, contributing 947,891 tourists, a 4.9 percent increase from 2023, making up 16% of total arrivals. Meanwhile, Chinese arrivals, despite an 18 percent growth to 312,222, were impacted by the suspension of the electronic visa system, accounting for just 5 percent of the total.
Despite the growth in foreign tourist numbers, the Philippines still faces challenges in meeting its tourism goals. Tourism Secretary Cristina Garcia-Frasco attributed the shortfall to economic, environmental, and geopolitical factors beyond the government’s control. However, she remains optimistic for 2025, emphasizing ongoing efforts to advocate for more liberal visa policies and strengthen international partnerships to boost tourism further.
