The Philippine tourism industry continued its strong post-pandemic recovery in 2024, contributing 8.9 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and supporting nearly 7 million jobs, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The PSA reported that tourism direct gross value added rose by 11 percent, reaching P2.35 trillion at current prices. This marks a steady increase from 8.7 percent of GDP in 2023 and 6.7 percent in 2022, reflecting the sector’s expanding economic footprint.
The Tourism Satellite Account traces the spending of visitors on services such as accommodation, food and beverage, transport, travel agencies, entertainment, recreation, shopping, and more, the PSA explained.
Among all forms of tourism-related spending, outbound tourism expenditure—or the amount Filipinos spent traveling abroad—recorded the fastest growth, surging nearly 38 percent to P345.68 billion. This was followed by domestic tourism expenditure, which grew 16 percent to P3.16 trillion, underscoring strong local travel demand.
Inbound tourism expenditure, or the spending of foreign visitors in the country, posted a modest 0.4 percent increase to P699.98 billion. Meanwhile, internal tourism expenditure—which combines both inbound and domestic spending—rose by 13 percent to P3.86 trillion.
Employment in tourism-related industries also expanded, reaching an estimated 6.75 million workers in 2024, up 6.1 percent from 6.37 million in the previous year. This sector now accounts for 13.8 percent of total employment in the Philippines, highlighting its critical role in inclusive economic growth.
With both domestic and international travel rebounding, tourism is poised to remain a key pillar of the country’s economic recovery and long-term development.
