GOVPH

PHILIPPINE TOURISM SECTOR DISCUSS STREAMLINING TRAVEL SERVICES FOR KOREAN TOURISTS AND HOP-ON HOP-OFF TRAVEL BY THE HUBS INITIATIVE

23 July 2024, Seoul. The Philippine Embassy in Seoul pushed for streamlining of travel services for the benefit of South Korean tourists bound for the Philippines during a meeting with the Department of Tourism-National Capital Region (DOT-NCR) led by Regional Director Sharlene Zabala-Batin and Philippine government officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Bureau of Immigration (BI), Bureau of Customs (BOC), National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), and private sector representatives from the travel operator and tourism marketing sector.

The group visited the Republic of Korea from 17 to 19 June 2024 to conduct a transit tour benchmarking activity in line with the Department of Tourism’s Hop-On Hop-Off (HOHO) Travel by the Hubs Initiative. The DOT project was launched in 2023 with Manila as a pilot hub and is currently being expanded to Makati, Taguig, Quezon City and other cities to highlight the major tourist destinations within Metro Manila, and later on to Cebu and other major transit points in the country.

On 17 June 2024, Minister and Consul General Romulo Victor M. Israel Jr. joined by Tourism Director Ma. Corazon Jorda-Apo, welcomed the delegation for a courtesy visit at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul. During the meeting, the officials briefed the Embassy on the current tourism promotion efforts as well as immigration and customs updates and policies in the Philippines.

The Embassy took the opportunity to raise the need to streamline processes for customs and immigration for tourists to ensure that Korean travelers have a pleasant and seamless experience from their arrival to departure from the Philippines. South Korean inbound tourist arrivals currently dominate the Philippine tourism market share at 25.99% as of June 2024.

The BI and BOC also agreed to collaborate with the Embassy for a town hall with the Filipino community in Korea to better educate OFWs/OFs, including those with Korean families, about travelers' or air passengers’ rights and obligations and update them on any new developments and regulations. The town hall will also be an opportunity to raise questions and suggestions based on their travel experiences.

The Philippine Embassy continues to work with the Philippine tourism sector to ensure seamless travel and improved tourism services in the Philippines. END

PHILIPPINES ASSUMES CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE ASEAN COMMITTEE IN SEOUL

20 July 2024, SEOUL - The Philippines assumed chairmanship of the ASEAN Committee in Seoul (ACS) in July 2024. Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega was honored to receive the ASEAN gavel from outgoing Chairperson Myanmar Ambassador Thant Sin during a simple handover ceremony held at the Embassy of Myanmar in Seoul on 2 July 2024.

The Philippines’ chairmanship is a six-month term (Jul-Dec 2024) as head of the ASEAN Committee in Seoul. The Philippines looks forward to a productive and meaningful term through a series of engagements with ROK government officials and companies to discuss collaborative projects, as well as activities that will foster ASEAN camaraderie in Seoul.

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega has shared that PH priorities during its chairmanship will focus on enhancing ASEAN-ROK discussions on common concerns and shared interests in the political, economic, cultural and people-to-people spheres; promoting ASEAN awareness; and continued close and strong working ties with the ASEAN-Korea Center.

The assumption of the chairmanship by the Philippines comes at an auspicious time as 2024 also marks the 35th Anniversary of the ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relations and the 75th Anniversary of Philippines-Korea relations. As one of the founding members of ASEAN, the Philippines has always continues to work towards enhancing the regional groupings relations with dialogue partners.

Established under Article 43 of the ASEAN Charter, The ASEAN Committee in Seoul advances ASEAN interests in South Korea by elevating ASEAN-ROK relations through the promotion of ASEAN activities and enhancing cooperation between ASEAN and Korea across different sectors and platforms. END

STILL NUMBER ONE 1: SOUTH KOREA REMAINS TOP SOURCE OF FOREIGN ARRIVALS FOR FIRST HALF OF 2024

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul is pleased to announce that South Korea remains the Philippines’ top source of foreign arrivals, delivering a solid 824,798 or 25.99 percent of the total number of visitors entering the country according to the Philippine Department of Tourism.

The Embassy, with the Philippine Department of Tourism Office in Korea, continues to work with our tourism partners and local stakeholders to ensure that Koreans who travel to the Philippines have an enjoyable experience. This includes prioritizing every traveler's security and safety, their easy access to tourism destinations, and overall wellness.

The full press release on the Philippines' vibrant tourism industry can be seen below: 

MANILA, PHILIPPINES. The Philippines’ estimated visitor receipts ballooned to more than P280 billion in the first half of the year, the Department of Tourism (DOT) reported Thursday (July 11). 

Based on its statistical monitoring report, tourism earnings from inbound visitors are currently pegged at PHP282.17 billion from January 1 to June 30, 2024, or approximately 32.81 percent higher than the PHP212.47 billion revenue from the same period last year. 

"The significant increase in our tourism earnings to PHP282.17 billion in just the first half of 2024 is a testament to the relentless efforts of the Marcos administration in revitalizing our tourism sector. This 32.81 percent rise from last year's figures not only showcases the growing appeal of the Philippines as a premier travel destination but also underscores the tangible benefits that tourism brings to our economy and our people. The income generated through tourism directly translates to more opportunities and improved livelihoods for Filipinos, reinforcing the critical role this industry plays in our nation's progress," Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said.

Meanwhile, as of July 10, 2024, the country has welcomed 3,173,694 inbound tourists, of which 92.55 percent or 2,937,293 are foreigners while the remaining 7.45 percent or 236,401 are overseas Filipinos. 

South Korea remains the Philippines’ top source of foreign arrivals, delivering a solid 824,798 or 25.99 percent of the total number of visitors entering the country. The United States of America (USA) comes second with 522,667 (16.47 percent), followed by China with 199,939 (6.30 percent), Japan with 188,805 (5.95 percent), and Australia with 137,391 (4.33 percent). 

Taiwan, Canada, the United Kingdom, and neighboring Southeast Asian nations, Singapore and Malaysia, are the sixth to tenth source markets, respectively.

“In the second half of the year, we anticipate these numbers to increase, not only the revenue generated but most importantly, the number of Filipinos employed in tourism-related industries. Many projects aimed at improving the country's connectivity and enhancing our visitors' convenience are also in the pipeline to sustain the good work we have started," the Secretary added. 

The tourism chief is optimistic about furthering the gains of the industry as the 2024 Economic Impact Research (EIR) of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasts a “record-breaking” year for the Philippines’ travel and tourism industry in terms of economic contribution, employment, and visitor spending. 

According to the important global private sector group, the tourism sector’s contribution to the national economy is expected to reach PHP5.4 trillion this year, or around 25 percent year-on-year growth, surpassing the record-breaking achievement in 2019 by 7.1 percent. 

Employment in tourism is also projected to surpass 9.5 million jobs, translating to 20 percent of the national workforce. 

The WTTC also forecasts that both international and domestic visitor spending is also set to break records this year, pegged at PHP715.6 billion and PHP3.7 trillion, respectively, exceeding 2019 levels by 5.7 percent and 1.8 percent, respectively.

“This growth is testament to the government’s efforts in enhancing tourism infrastructure, with efforts underway to upgrade regional airports to alleviate congestion at Manila's main airport and make travel more accessible,” WTTC said in its report. END