Palawan is gearing up for what its officials hope will become its biggest and most tourism-driven festival yet, as the province unveiled a more ambitious vision for the 2026 Baragatan Festival aimed at drawing both domestic and international visitors in the years ahead. The Provincial Government of Palawan, together with the Palawan Tourism Council (PTC),...
Category: Tourism
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Low arrivals, high receipts: Why Philippine tourism’s next growth phase is about value, not volume
At first glance, the Philippines’ tourism recovery appears incomplete. International arrivals have not returned to pre-pandemic highs, and the pace of inbound recovery lags behind that of several Asean peers. Yet beneath this apparent weakness, tourism receipts have surpassed pre-pandemic levels even as visitor volumes remain below 2019 numbers. This divergence signals a structural shift...
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Experience autumn in Korea (or how it aims to be Asia’s prime MICE destination in 2025)
Holding a corporate meeting with special frills afterwards? Korea is pulling out all the stops to become Asia’s destination for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) this year. The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) kicked off the campaign with the 2025 Korea MICE Roadshow in the Philippines with the Manila leg at Fairmont Makati on June...
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With Philippine tourism at a crossroads, it’s time to reset for resilience and relevance
Tourist arrivals to the Philippines in the first quarter of 2025 reflect both an overall increase in volume and an alarming dip in key source markets. According to the Department of Tourism (DOT), arrivals from South Korea and China fell by 13.9% and a dramatic 33.7%, respectively, compared to the numbers in the first quarter...
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What’s the full story behind the ‘Love’ tourism rebrand?
Exactly who are behind the scandal that threw the monkey wrench into the “Love the Philippines” rebranding campaign of the Department of Tourism? The people need to know. The nagging question requires an answer so the guilty can be made accountable and the red-faced DOT led by Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco can begin to pick...