Gov’t mulls shorter visa processing period for Chinese travelers

The government is planning to shorten the processing period for visas on arrival of Chinese travelers, a top official of the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Thursday.

"DOJ [Department of Justice] Secretary Menardo Guevarra had agreed to explore the possibility of shortening the processing period of visa on arrivals for Chinese travelers," Tourism Undersecretary and spokesperson Benito Bengzon said during the membership meeting of the Hotel, Sales, and Marketing Association (HSMA) in Makati City.

"We have discussions with the DOJ on how to make it easier for visitors from China," Bengzon said.

In August last year, the Bureau of Immigration—an attached agency of the DOJ—launched a program aimed at attracting more tourists and investors from China. 

The BI issued "landing visas," which grants visa upon arrival to Chinese nationals. This allows a traveler to receive his or her actual visa at the airport of destination.

Interested Chinese nationals should also file their applications at least 10 working days before their arrival.

Asked by how may days the processing period will be shorter, the Tourism official declined to divulge details but said that shortening the processing period for visa on arrivals will attract more Chinese travelers.

"The current is 10 days but I don't want to mention any figure..." he said.

"If you're a Chinese traveler who wanted to come to the Philippines and you spot a sale [which] departure date is three days away or two days away... So these are the things that we have to explain to them [DOJ] but generally we just have to wait for their feedback."

Bengzon said the DOT is zeroing in on Chinese tourist arrivals, which grew 43.8 percent at 559,289 for the January to May period.

Chinese tourists also contributed 17.60 percent to the total 3,117,974 foreign tourists arrivals in the country during the period.

"They are drawn to the resort destinations. That’s why Cebu, Bohol, Boracay, and Palawan are very strong destinations to the Chinese. This will explain to a large extent why over the several years, we’ve had large number of chartered flights to these destinations," Bengzon said.

He added that despite the closure of Boracay, a major tourist destination, foreign tourist arrivals still grew 10.24 percent in the first five months of the year as tourists divert to other destinations.

The tourism official said he is optimistic the country can sustain this growth towards the end of the year. — BM, GMA News