Il-Filippini Tiġġieled it-Turiżmu Tnaqqis fl-2024 hekk kif in-Numri tal-Viżitaturi Jaqaw Naqsu mill-Projezzjonijiet Minħabba Sfidi Ewlenin

Il-Ġimgħa, Jannar 10, 2025

Il-Filippini tilfu l-mira tagħha tat-turiżmu tal-2024, bil-wasliet Ċiniżi naqsu u sfidi bħas-sospensjoni tal-viża elettronika li jħallu impatt fuq in-numri ta’ viżitaturi internazzjonali.

The Philippines fell short of its international tourism targets for 2024, with a significant drop in Chinese visitor arrivals, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco announced on Friday, January 10.

According to Frasco, the government initially aimed for 7.7 million foreign arrivals in 2024. However, the Department of Tourism (DOT) recorded just 5.9 million visitors, falling short of projections due to various challenges.

The country anticipated more than 2 million Chinese tourists by year-end, but only 300,000 arrivals were reported. This decline coincided with the indefinite suspension of the Philippine e-visa system in December 2023, a policy that has yet to be reinstated by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Frasco clarified that the reduced number of Chinese tourists was not linked to the closure of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs). Banned in 2024 due to rising criminal activities such as human trafficking and scams, POGOs also raised concerns over the misuse of government-issued documents like birth certificates and passports.

Despite the challenges, foreign tourism generated P760 billion in revenue for the Philippines in 2024, marking a 9% increase compared to the previous year. However, this growth occurred alongside a significantly reduced marketing budget, which dropped from P1.2 billion in 2023 to just P200 million in 2024.

The DOT also faced backlash in 2023 for its controversial “Love the Philippines” campaign, which sparked global criticism after it was revealed that the promotional video included foreign stock footage. This misstep drew the ire of lawmakers and damaged the campaign’s credibility.