In the first nine months of 2024, the Philippines welcomed a surge in foreign tourists, exceeding 4.08 million, a 10.4% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Overall, the country hosted 4.44 million tourists, including 355,692 overseas Filipinos, marking a 4.8% year-on-year increase. This growth highlights the Philippines' resurgence as a major tourist destination, with its active tourism and gaming industries playing a significant role.
Foreign tourists accounted for 92% of the total tourist numbers, with South Korea remaining the largest source of international visitors to the Philippines. These figures demonstrate the resilience of the Philippine tourism sector, continuing to recover from global challenges.
South Korea Remains the Largest Source of Inbound Tourists to the Philippines
South Korea continues to be the largest source of foreign tourists to the Philippines, with nearly 1.2 million South Korean visitors from January to September 2024, a 12.1% increase year-on-year. South Korean tourists currently make up 27% of all foreign visitors, reaffirming their significant role in the Philippine tourism industry.
The United States ranks second, with 694,142 visitors, a 1.7% increase from the previous year. Japanese visitor numbers saw a significant rise of 31.7%, totaling 293,658, while Chinese tourists also showed strong recovery, contributing 260,134 visitors, a 30.3% increase year-on-year.
2024 Tourism Goals
The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) aims to attract 7.7 million foreign tourists by the end of 2024, based on the record of 5.45 million international visitors in 2023. With the current data already exceeding expectations, the DOT is confident in surpassing these visitor and revenue targets.
Philippines and South Korea Strengthen Tourism Cooperation
On Monday, the Philippines and South Korea strengthened their tourism cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for 2024-2029. The agreement, signed by Philippine Tourism Minister Christina Frasco and South Korean Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Liu Ren Village, aims to promote cooperation through exchanges of tourism professionals, joint promotional activities, and industry development plans. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, and is expected to boost the number of South Korean visitors and further promote tourism development between the two countries.
