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...
Tag: Philippine tourism
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Chasing Mount Mayon
After catching a glimpse of the elusive Mount Fuji in Japan last year, my husband and I had no idea that within months we would be setting our sights on another peak: Mayon Volcano. I remembered our brief encounter with Mayon when, early in the new year, I read reports of heightened unrest including rockfalls...
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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...