The Department of Tourism (DOT) is moving to revive arrivals from South Korea after the country’s longtime top source market slipped this year, even as overall foreign visitor numbers continued to grow and the United States emerged as the Philippines’ largest inbound tourism market.
Tourism Secretary Dita Mathay said international arrivals reached 2.96 million from January 1 to June 16, up 6.16 percent from the same period last year. As of June 17, arrivals were running 6.35 percent higher year on year, driven by strong gains from key markets led by the United States, which contributed 591,569 visitors and overtook South Korea for the first time.
South Korean arrivals fell 9 percent to 501,789 from 554,855 a year earlier, prompting the DOT to reassess its marketing efforts and visitor experience initiatives.
“Everything went up except for Korea, so we have to think about a way to restore our numbers in Korea,” Mathay said, adding that the agency will review its strategy with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and its tourism promotions arm.
The decline highlights growing competition in the regional tourism market. Mathay noted that security concerns and the relatively high cost of traveling within the Philippines—an archipelago that often requires multiple flights or ferry connections—have made destinations such as Vietnam and Thailand more attractive to Korean travelers due to lower costs and easier connectivity.
To address these concerns, the DOT is working with TIEZA and the Department of the Interior and Local Government on a pilot tourism security program that will deploy plainclothes personnel in major tourist destinations to enhance visitor safety and confidence.
The agency is also expanding discounted and bundled travel packages to encourage both domestic and inbound tourism. Meanwhile, easier entry policies are producing tangible gains. Visa-free entry measures have boosted arrivals from China by more than 60 percent and from India by over 40 percent, underscoring the role of accessibility in driving travel demand.
“Travel is all about access and getting rid of the friction,” Mathay said.
