Koreans top RP tourist arrivals for the first time, surpassing Americans

Koreans are becoming more ubiquitous in the country these days, and not just in the popular "Koreanovelas."

A ranking tourism official said South Koreans, for the first time, topped the tourist arrivals in the Philippines in 2006, surpassing those from the United States. The Philippines has no diplomatic or cultural ties with North Korea.

Rolando Canizal, director of the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) Tourism Development Planning office, said arrivals from South Korea usually reached record levels only on month-to-month basis and that arrivals from the US were traditionally the biggest.

"Overall US remains the No. 1 in the list, but now Koreans did not only surpass Americans in November alone but from January to November," Canizal told The STAR.

"Koreanovelas" or Korean soaps dubbed in Tagalog are popular on primetime TV in the Philippines.

Canizal said Koreans visitors, mostly leisure travelers and tourists, increased by 16.5 percent to 511,277 from January to November 2006 compared to 438,822 in the same period in 2005. The DOT recorded more than 10,000 tourist arrivals from South Korea in November alone, as against the 3,000 US arrivals, he added.

US arrivals from January to November 2006 posted an eight percent increase at 507,169 from 469,494 in the same period in 2005.

"There are many Koreans looking for destinations. Philippines is really fit for the destination that they are looking for. Climate, beaches, and they have a lot of knowledge about the Philippines hearing it from their friends," Canizal said, adding that among their favorite destinations are Boracay, Cebu, Manila and Palawan and Cagayan de Oro.

He said Koreans usually play golf, shop, and go to the country’s pristine beaches.

Canizal said a Korean tourist usually spends an average of $115 a day compared to $90 to $110 an American tourist usually spends.