Foreign visitors up 13% to 3.51M in 9 mos

MANILA, Philippines - The number of foreign visitors arriving in the Philippines in the first nine months of 2013 reached 3.51 million, up 12.9 percent from 3.15 million in the same period last year, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT) data.

The DOT data showed that for the month of September, visitor arrivals grew 12.5 percent to 328,114 from 291,637 in the same month last year.

During the period, Korean market remained as the largest contributor to Philippine tourism, comprising 25.9 percent of the arrivals.

Other countries with the most number of tourist arrivals to the Philippines include: the US (14.18 percent); Japan ( 9.38 percent); China 9.32 percent); Australia (4.22 percent); Singapore (4.22 percent); Taiwan (3.16 percent); Hong Kong (2.75 percent); Canada (2.59 percent); and United Kingdom (2.49 percent).

Arrivals  from China increased the fastest during the nine-month period at the rate of 66.08 percent.

Arrivals from Taiwan, meanwhile fell by 35.21 percent.

Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. is optimistic that the target of 5.5 million foreign visitor arrivals this year could still be reached.

“We are hopeful that we can manage to end the year with five million tourists or more,” Jimenez said.

As this developed, the DOT has launched a new recognition program  for tourism frontliners who exemplify true Filipino hospitality in their workplace.

The program dubbed as ‘Tourism Star Philippines’ give due recognition to individuals who go the extra mile in giving tourists a delightful experience.

“Around the world, Filipinos are known to be one of the happiest and warmest people on the planet. This experience of the Filipino people bears the mark of the Filipino Culture of Tourism,” said Jimenez.

Under the program, DOT will award tourism personnel and embodying Filipino values such as respect and helpfulness in their line of service.

The DOT’s ‘Tourism Star Philippines’ will also recognize local chief executives whose projects have created positive impacts to the tourism industry.

 â€˜Tourism Star’ will also help raise the competitiveness of the Philippines as a tourist destination.