The Department of Tourism (DOT) within the Philippines has revealed that more than 16 million Filipinos work in the tourism sector as at the end of Q1 this year.
DOT Secretary Christina Frasco delivered the report during the discussions of the Philippine House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations, where she outlined the proposed departmental budget for the coming year, totalling PHP 3.394 billion.
Frasco stated: “Tourism is one of the strongest pillars of the Philippines’ economy, driving exponential growth, generating revenue for small and medium enterprises, and providing employment for millions of Filipinos.”
The secretary further explained that tourism was a significant economic driver for the country last year. Total revenues from domestic and international visitor spending amounted to over PHP 3.36 trillion for travel and tourism-related businesses.
Frasco went on to add: “These remarkable figures are also reflected in the growth rate of tourism in the country, marking the highest ever growth rate tourism has ever experienced at nearly 48%.”
The Philippine tourism sector currently contributes 8.6% to the country’s GDP and reported a trade surplus of over $2.45 billion in travel services for the first quarter of the year.
Furthermore, the industry exceeded all the baseline targets set in the national tourism development plan for 2023.
The DOT Secretary explained that these indicators highlight the significant role of tourism in the national economy.
She added: “We achieved this, because apart from the domestic and international tourist arrivals that have come into our country, we now have more products and destinations to offer. The result of which is a higher length of stay among our tourists and more spending along the circuits developed across various destinations in our regions.”
Frasco’s congressional report also referenced findings from the World Travel and Tourism Council, which revealed that the Philippines now boasts the largest domestic tourism market in Southeast Asia, valued at over PHP 52 billion.