Manila: The Philippines earned USD1.1 billion or PHP65.3 billion in tourism revenues in January 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2019, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced Thursday. Data as of Feb. 28 indicated that these earnings stemmed from a range of activities, products, and services linked to tourism, marking a 136.1 percent increase from the USD821 million or a 151.46 percent rise from the PHP43 billion recorded in January 2019.
According to Philippines News Agency, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco highlighted in a news release that the revival of the Philippine tourism sector post-pandemic has led to the creation of thousands of jobs for Filipinos, offering livelihood opportunities for many, particularly in rural and underserved regions. The country's tourism income in terms of US dollars grew by 71.4 percent compared to the USD652,255,773.51 recorded in January 2024, while Philippine peso revenues saw a significant increase of 78.81 percent from PHP36,508,238,043 in January 2024.
Frasco reported that the Philippines achieved an unprecedented tourism revenue of approximately PHP760 billion in 2024. The DOT compiled tourism revenue data using Visitor Sample Surveys, records from previous arrival/departure cards, shipping manifests, and the current eTravel system.
In the first two months of 2025, a total of 1,167,908 foreign travelers visited the Philippines. Data as of March 1 revealed that around 25.31 percent of these visitors were from South Korea. South Korea has been the leading source of tourists for the Philippines since 2023, a trend expected to continue with the recent appointment of South Korean star Seo In-Guk as the 'celebrity tourism ambassador for the Philippines' last month.
Trailing South Korea, the United States contributed 229,836 travelers, followed by Japan with 83,208, Canada with 65,145, and Australia with 61,564 visitors. Additionally, the country welcomed 53,545 tourists from China, 41,388 from Taiwan, 34,451 from the United Kingdom, 29,352 from Singapore, and 21,252 from France.
