Over 300K foreign tourist arrivals since February reopening —DOT

More than 300,000 foreign tourists have visited the Philippines following the country’s reopening of its borders in February, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Wednesday.

In a press statement, the DOT said a total of 319,047 arrivals were reported in the country from February 10 to April 25—with a significant increase in the arrivals recorded this month.

"The sustained growth in foreign arrivals in the country indicates the recovery of our tourism industry, and thus the country’s overall economy,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Puyat said.

She likewise expressed optimism that holding the 2022 World Travel and Tourism Council(WTTC) Global Summit in the country last week will further boost the tourism sector as more foreigners will be made aware that the Philippines is “a safe and fun destination to travel.”

According to the tourism department, the majority, or 66,245 of the foreign tourists since February came from the United States. It was followed by Canada and South Korea with 15,024 and 14,697, respectively.

Australia, England, and Japan came next on the list with a total of 14,530; 13,560; and 7,335 tourists accordingly.

Puyat stressed that the Philippines has one of the simplest and most relaxed entry protocols in Asia.

Fully vaccinated travelers do not need to test upon arrival or quarantine, and they can also choose between an RT-PCR test or a lab-based antigen test to comply with the pre-departure test requirement. — Sundy Locus/BM, GMA News