Tourism department says visitor arrivals on track to target

Businessworld - VISITOR ARRIVALS in the country grew by more than a tenth in the first half, putting the full-year target within reach, the Tourism department said in a statement on Friday.

Specifically, the number of foreign visitors rose 11.68% to 2.145 million in the first half from 1.919 million the previous year.


The department attributed the increase to promotion campaigns abroad, including through the Internationale Tourismus Borse travel fair in Germany, the Memphis in May International Festival, the Arabian Travel Market in May, the Yeosu Expo 2012 in South Korea, a business mission to Japan, as well as the use of mobile ads on double-decker buses, taxicabs, and underground rail stations in the United Kingdom in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics.


The same statement quoted Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. as saying “current policy reforms to facilitate entry; infrastructure development to improve travel within the country; fresh investments to expand transportation, accommodation, and recreation facilities; and product enhancement...will help realize our year-end target of 4.6 million visitors.”


South Koreans continued to top arrivals with 474,685 visitors or 22.13% of the total, up 10.5% annually; followed by US visitors who increased 4.8% to 354,259 or 16.52% of the total; and Japanese, up 7.79% to 195,504 or 9.11% of the total.


Curiously, while travel agencies had warned of signs Beijing was dissuading its nationals from visiting the Philippines amid the territorial spat in the South China Sea that began in April, the Tourism department noted that China and Taiwan posted the highest growth rates of 42.99% and 34.47%, respectively, to 150,749 and 114,269.


Other major sources of visitors were: Australia with 92,648 arrivals, up 11.95%; Singapore with 73,015 (10.36%); Canada, 65,503 (7.12%); Hong Kong, 57,790 (2.36%); United Kingdom, 57,181 (11.30%); Malaysia, 49,788 (11.96%); and Germany with 34,189 (12061%).

Overseas Filipinos accounted for 5.16% of total visitors with 110,703 arrivals, reflecting 4.46% growth.

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