The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) reported on Thursday, 6th March, that the country earned US$1.1 billion in tourism revenues in January 2025.
The amount exceeds levels earned prior to 2020, the year the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe.
As of 28th February, the country earned significantly from various products and activities related to tourism, the total being higher by 136.1 percent than the total seen in January 2019.
Tourism secretary Christina Frasco remarked: “The recovery of Philippine tourism from the period of the pandemic in terms of revenues translates to thousands of jobs created for Filipinos, providing livelihood opportunities for many, especially in our rural and underserved areas.”
Key findings
The Philippines’ tourism income grew by 71.4 percent, compared to the US$652.3 million recorded in January of last year.
Tourism revenue in Philippine pesos surged by 78.81 percent from the PHP36.5 billion recorded in January 2024.
Frasco added that the country’s tourism sector achieved an all-time high tourism revenue of approximately PHP760 billion in 2024.
As of 1st March, a total of 1,167,908 foreign travelers have already visited the country in the first two months of this year.
Around 25.31 percent of foreign arrivals came from South Korea which has been the country’s top tourism source market since 2023.
The United States came in second with 229,836 travelers; Japan in third with 83,208; Canada in fourth with 65,145; and Australia in fifth with 61,564.
