DOT to continue enticing Chinese tourists

MANILA, Philippines — Despite conflict in the assertion of sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea, the Philippines will continue to entice travelers from China to come here, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said.

The agency’s work “has not stopped in terms of promoting the Philippines as a top-of-mind tourism destination,” according to DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco.

“I personally am of the opinion that no outward portrayal can ever change the beauty of our country that is immediately felt by anyone coming upon our shores no matter the citizenship,” Frasco said during the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel media forum on Sept. 11.

She added, “No geopolitical situation has changed the image of the Philippines in terms of it being a destination to love.”

Frasco revealed the recovery of the Chinese tourist market compared to 2019 “is definitely not at the level that it should be.”

A total of 263,836 travelers from China visited the Philippines in 2023, a plunge from the 1,743,309 Chinese tourists recorded by the DOT in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.

At present, the DOT is “working with the Department of Foreign Affairs in terms of continuous lobbying for the liberalization of visa processes for countries to begin with, not just with China.”

In the meantime, the agency is also encouraging travelers from India to visit the Philippines.

“We’re now looking at India in terms of expanding connectivity, increasing arrivals, as well as liberalizing visa policies with them in order that we may be able to make up for the losses accrued in terms of tourist arrivals from China,” she said.

In 2023, India was the Philippines’ 13th top source of tourists with 70,286 visitors, while Indian nationals ranked 11th in the number of tourists based on citizenship with 89,070, according to data from the DOT.