The result looks even more impressive if to recall the figures 7 years back when it took 12 months to breach 4 million arrivals.
DOT believes that increased connectivity and the recent expansion of several airports are among the key factors that contributed to the growth of tourist arrivals.
Another important factor that added attractiveness to the archipelago in the eyes of travellers is development and promotion of lesser-known and emerging destinations. They attracted a large and a diverse set of foreign travellers in the highly-competitive Southeast Asian region.
The highest rate of growth was recorded in June when the country welcomed over 640,000 travellers, 21.41 percent more than in June 2018.
The list of top-5 source tourist markets for the Philippines looks as follows:
– South Korea
– China
– United States
– Japan
– Taiwan.
In 2019, the country's inbound tourism has already generated some PHP245 billion in receipts from international visitors, a 17.57 percent increase on year-to-year bases.
Tourist Arrivals Up 11.43 Percent in H1 2019, Philippines Report
News in Asia
According to the Department of Tourism (DOT)'s data, over 4 million foreign tourists visited the Philippines in the first six months of 2019, 11.43 percent more than during the first half of 2018.