Tourism in the Philippines

Palawan, which includes Coron, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Tourism is an important sector for the Philippine economy. The travel and tourism industry contributed 8.6% to the country's GDP in 2023;[1] this was lower than the 12.7% recorded in 2019 prior to the COVID-19 lockdowns.[2] Coastal tourism, encompassing beach and diving activities, constitutes 25% of the Philippines' tourism revenue, serving as its primary income source in the sector.[3] Popular destinations among tourists include Boracay, Palawan, Cebu and Siargao. While the Philippines has encountered political and social challenges that have affected its tourism industry, the country has also taken steps to address these issues.[4] Over the past years, there have been efforts to improve political stability, enhance security measures, and promote social inclusivity, all of which contribute to creating a more favorable environment for tourism, such as the Boracay rehabilitation.[5]

As of 2023, 6.21 million Filipinos were employed in the tourism industry[1] and as of September 2023, the Philippines generated ₱316.9 billion ($5.5 billion) in revenue from tourists, coming mostly from South Korea, the United States and Japan.[6] The country attracted a total of 5,360,682 foreign visitors in 2015 through its tourism campaign of It's More Fun in the Philippines![7] In 2019, foreign arrivals peaked at 8,260,913.[8]

The country is also home to one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, and one of the New 7 Wonders Cities, the Heritage City of Vigan. It is also home to six UNESCO World Heritage Sites scattered in nine different locations, three UNESCO biosphere reserves, three UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, four UNESCO memory of the world documentary heritage, three UNESCO creative cities, two UNESCO World Heritage cities, seven Ramsar wetland sites, and eight ASEAN Heritage Parks.[7]

  1. ^ a b Mapa, Claire Dennis S. "Tourism Posted Highest Growth in 2023, Contributing 8.6 Percent to the Economy" (Press release). Philippine Statistics Authority. Archived from the original on June 18, 2024.
  2. ^ "Share of Tourism to GDP is 12.7 percent in 2019" (Press release). Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  3. ^ Inquirer, Philippine Daily (December 30, 2021). "ADBI floats idea of ocean tourism in PH". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  4. ^ "The problem with the Philippine tourism industry". Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  5. ^ "Philippines to temporarily shut down tourist island". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  6. ^ "Philippines reached 80 percent of 2023 foreign tourist target". Asia Gaming Brief. September 21, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Daang Matuwid – Achievements". Official Gazette of the Republic of Philippines. Archived from the original on May 29, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  8. ^ "Visitor Arrivals; January – December 2019" (PDF). Department of Tourism. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 2, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.