Christmas is coming, and with it, the annual homecoming of thousands of overseas Filipinos eager to reunite with their families, enjoy familiar food, visit favorite destinations, and celebrate the holidays in the Philippines.
Foreign tourists are also expected to arrive, attracted by our tropical beaches, warm hospitality, shopping malls, cuisine, and relatively affordable accommodations.
But while many are preparing to visit, others are thinking twice. Expensive airfares, inadequate airport facilities, poor transportation, and the difficulty of reaching popular destinations continue to discourage potential visitors.
The approaching Christmas season offers Philippine tourism another opportunity to recover. Unfortunately, the numbers suggest we are still struggling to regain lost ground.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) expects international visitor arrivals to reach approximately 6.4 million this year, roughly matching the 6.48 million recorded in 2025. That would leave the Philippines about 22 percent below its pre-pandemic record of 8.26 million in 2019.
Revised DOT figures show 4.42 million arrivals from January to August 2026, representing growth of less than one percent from the comparable period last year.
Our ASEAN neighbors tell a different story. In 2025, Thailand welcomed approximately 33 million international visitors, Vietnam 21.2 million, and Singapore more than 16 million. Vietnam has already surpassed its pre-pandemic performance, while the Philippines continues to lag.
Twenty years ago, Vietnam was only slightly ahead of the Philippines in tourist arrivals. Today, it welcomes more than three times as many visitors.
Why have we fallen so far behind?
The Philippines has never lacked attractions. What it lacks is the infrastructure, connectivity, competitive pricing, and consistent execution needed to transform those attractions into convenient, affordable tourism experiences.
Airports serving popular destinations such as Busuanga and Siargao need appropriate runway improvements, better passenger facilities, and expanded operating capabilities. Other island destinations require stronger connections through airports, seaports, and reliable ground transportation.
Tourists should not have to struggle to find reasonably priced transportation after landing. Nor should visiting several Philippine destinations require complicated transfers and excessive travel expenses.
The Department of Transportation, local governments, airport operators, and private investors must address these problems together.
Meanwhile, tourism promotions should give renewed attention to nearby markets like Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. These markets offer opportunities for short holidays, shopping, dining, and repeat visits.
Recent visa liberalization measures are encouraging, but easier entry alone cannot compensate for expensive flights and inadequate facilities.
While infrastructure improvements are underway, Manila, Cebu, Clark, and accessible surrounding destinations should receive stronger promotional support. They already offer established hotels, shopping centers, restaurants, and relatively extensive transport connections.
Domestic tourism, staycations, and conventions have helped sustain hotels and tourism businesses. Without them, the industry’s recovery would be considerably weaker.
The National Tourism Development Plan 2023–2028 already identifies priorities involving infrastructure, market development, human resources, and connectivity. What is urgently needed is faster implementation.
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay and her government and private-sector partners have limited time to deliver measurable improvements.
Christmas may bring another welcome surge in arrivals. But holiday homecomings cannot substitute for a competitive, year-round tourism industry.
Unless government acts decisively, even reaching seven million visitors in 2027 could prove challenging.
Travel is comprised of far more than the places we go. It makes up the things that surprise us, the encounters that move us, and the moments that change how we see the world. But it’s also about asking questions.
Wandering Perspectives welcomes guest writers to share stories that entertain, surprise, and inspire—from unforgettable adventures and personal revelations to tourism’s challenges and ideas for change. We look beyond the scenery to explore what ails travel, what needs fixing, and how we can make journeys better for everyone.
Because the best journeys don’t just take us places. They change our perspective.
With over four decades in aviation and tourism, Dr. Charlie T. Yu has helped people get places—and gathered plenty of stories along the way. A former airline and travel executive, senior government official, and former president of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA), he now shares his experience as a part-time professor. After all these years, Charlie knows the journey is rarely boring—and he still has plenty of miles, stories, and opinions left in the tank.
