DOT says PH now ASEAN’s biggest tourism economy, cites WTTC, PSA data

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco on Wednesday said the Philippines has emerged as the largest tourism economy in Southeast Asia, citing data from global and national authorities.

Speaking at Kapihan sa Manila Bay, Frasco said the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), in its latest Economic Impact Report presented during the ASEAN Tourism Forum, ranked the Philippines as the biggest tourism economy in ASEAN based on its contribution to gross domestic product and employment.

She said tourism now accounts for about 23% of national employment, providing millions of jobs, according to the WTTC.

“These are not figures made up for public relations or self-serving purposes,” Frasco said, stressing that the assessment came from an independent global authority on tourism.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) show that tourism generated about P3.86 trillion in international and domestic receipts and employs around 16.4 million Filipinos directly and indirectly.

While international visitor arrivals have yet to fully return to pre-pandemic levels, Frasco said visitor receipts have already recovered, indicating a shift toward higher-value tourism.

“At the end of the day, it’s not just about the number of arrivals,” she said. “It’s also about the livelihood that tourism generates.”

Frasco said tourism under the current administration supports hundreds of thousands of micro, small, and medium enterprises, as the government diversified its tourism portfolio beyond traditional sun-and-beach offerings to include heritage, culture, festivals, gastronomy, and community-based experiences.

A visitor sample survey conducted by the DOT showed that average length of stay has increased to 11 nights from nine nights in 2019. Tourism spending per capita now stands at about US$2,073, the highest in ASEAN, according to DOT data.

Domestic tourism continues to be a major driver of growth. Frasco said 134 million domestic trips were recorded in 2024, up from 122 million in 2019, with the domestic tourism market valued at more than US$70 billion, again the largest in the region.

She acknowledged that the tourism sector faced significant headwinds in recent years, including natural disasters, global economic pressures, and sharp reductions in marketing funds, which dropped from P1.3 billion in 2023 to P100 million in 2025.

Despite these challenges, Frasco said the country still recorded 6.48 million international arrivals in 2025 and maintained stable employment across the tourism sector.

She also cited gains from the country’s hosting of the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Cebu, which drew more than 2,000 delegates, tourism ministers, buyers, and international media.

Initial reports from the Travel Exchange (TravelEx) held alongside the forum showed that 81% of Philippine sellers generated sales leads exceeding P1.4 billion within days of the event, she said.—AOL, GMA Integrated News