2014 tourist arrivals up 3.25% to 4.8 M

MANILA, Philippines - More tourists visited the Philippines in 2014 but their number was still below the government’s five million foreign arrivals target for the year.

Based on data released by the Department of Tourism, inbound visitors reached 4,833,368 last year or 3.25 percent higher than the 4,681, 307 arrivals in 2013.

This year, the government is hoping to draw in six million arrivals and further to 10 million in 2016.

As expected, the month of December delivered the most number of arrivals at 487,654 or 7.73 percent more than in the same period in 2013.

The month of January was the previous top performer in terms of arrivals with 461,383.

The DOT said total earnings last year from inbound tourism amounted to $4.84 billion, 10 percent higher than the previous year’s earnings of $4.4 billion.  In peso value, inbound revenues totaled P214.88 billion or 15 percent more compared to P186.15 billion in 2013.

The month of December also recorded the highest visitor receipts at $597.76 million.

Visitors from Korea chipped in the biggest contribution with P61.02 billion, accounting for 33 percent share of inbound receipts.

The US market followed with P41.43 billion constituting a 22 percent share; Australia (P13.94 billion); and Japan (P10.68 billion). Canadian visitors spent P8.48 billion overtaking China which was the fifth biggest revenue source in 2013.

Last year, average daily expenditure (ADE) of international visitors was recorded at $103.55, which is 2.4 percent higher compared to the previous year ADE of $ 101.12.

In peso terms, ADE grew 7.11 percent from P4,292.16 in 2013 to P4,597.12 last year.  Again, December pegged the highest at $96.36 (P4,306.12).

Visitors from the Asian region constituted the biggest market for the Philippines during the year with 2.83 million for a share of 59 percent of total arrivals.  Americas followed with 875,200 for a market share of 18 percent; Europe at 10 percent, Australasia/Pacific (six percent) and overseas Filipinos (four percent).

More specifically, arrivals from Korea kept its position as the leading source market with 1,175,472 visitors for a 24.32 percent share to total inbound traffic, higher by 0.83 percent from its arrivals of 1,165,789 in 2013.

The US market remained the second largest source with 722,750 arrivals for a 14.95-percent market share. In fact, US visitors posted the highest growth at 7.14 percent among the top five markets.

Japan ranked third with 463,744 visitors, constituting 9.59 percent of the total visitor volume. This market posted an increase of 6.93 percent versus its year ago arrivals of 433,705.

Arrivals from China declined 7.37 percent from 426,352 in 2013 to 394,951 during the year.

Completing the top five is Australia with a 4.65 percent market share or 224, 784 arrivals. This market expanded 5.52 percent from its volume of 213,023 a year ago.

Meanwhile, Singapore visitors reached 179,099 arrivals; Canada with 143,899 arrivals; Taiwan with 142,973 arrivals; Malaysia with 139,245 arrivals; United Kingdom with 133,665 arrivals; Hong Kong with 114,100 arrivals; and Germany with 72,801 arrivals.

Malaysian tourists recorded the highest growth of 27.24 percent from its previous year record.