Saudi visitors to the Philippines up by 104% from 2009

MANILA, Philippines - Saudi Arabian visitors to the Philippines more than doubled since 2009, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported on Tuesday.

"From only 19,101 Saudi visitors in 2009, the Philippines attracted a record 38,969 last year, a growth of 104 percent. Last year’s total was a growth of nearly 29.7 percent from the previous year, while the average growth of visitor arrivals since 2009 has been at 19.8 percent," the state agency said.

DFA said the spike in Saudi Arabian tourist arrivals came from the Embassy's tourism promotion campaigns in the Middle Eastern country, in partnership with Saudi travel agencies accredited with the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT).

Last December, DOT officials went to Saudi Arabia to promote Philippine tourism in Riyadh. The event was attended by officials from the Saudi Chambers of Commerce and tour operators in the country.

In April 2013, the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh and DOT also participated in the Riyadh Travel Fair.

"The event drew 998 visitors, with many inquiring about holiday packages to prime destinations like Boracay, Palawan, Bohol’s Chocolate Hills and Panglao Island, and Davao’s Pearl Farm," DFA said, adding that DOT and the embassy will be joining the event again this year.

The DOT, in coordination with the Philippine Tourism Office in Dubai, also held a familiarization tour of Manila, as well as Tagaytay, Clark and Subic, for selected Saudi travel agents. 

"It was an opportunity for them to personally see the rich experience available in the Philippine tourism  destinations," DFA said.