DOT: Philippines to welcome 139 cruise ships this year

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is set to welcome foreign tourists carried by up to 139 cruise ships this year, which could help in the revival of the travel industry, according to the Department of Tourism.

The DOT is expecting a total of 139 ports of call – or docking of cruise ships – at 46 destinations in the country for 2023, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said. The figure is higher than the 102 port calls in 2019.

One of them, the Silver Spirit cruise ship carrying 317 passengers and 404 crew members, arrived at the Eva Macapagal Super Terminal at Manila South Harbor yesterday.

A majority of the passengers were Europeans and Americans aged 50 to 70, while 181 of the 404 crew members were Filipinos.

Frasco and Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna led the welcome for some foreigners who disembarked from the cruise ship, accompanied by musicians holding percussion and bamboo instruments as well as street dancers and Higantes performers.

The tourists received bamboo necklaces, fans and colorful wide-brimmed hats from the DOT before they boarded tourist buses.

During a press briefing yesterday, Frasco said a cruise ship passenger would spend an average of $100, which could benefit local governments and businesses in tourist destinations.

This year, the DOT expects the arrival of around 117,000 tourists from the 139 cruise ships, she added.

Docking in 46 areas in the country, they would visit tourist destinations that include Manila, Batanes, Palawan, Kalanggaman Island in Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Hundred Islands in Pangasinan, Marinduque and the world-famous Boracay Island, Frasco said.

Frasco said she believes “cruise tourism allows both well-known and lesser-known destinations to be promoted and at the same time promotes opportunities for livelihood for both local governments and micro, small and medium-sized businesses.”

“The arrival of this cruise ship signifies the resurgence of tourism in the country, as well as confidence in travel,” she added.

The government has removed some travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic such as mandatory quarantine and testing and made wearing face masks optional in certain settings.

For her part, Lacuna said she hopes foreign cruise ship passengers will be able to appreciate Manila as a “hub for arts and culture” as well as explore the city beyond historic sites like Intramuros and Rizal Park.