DOT: China PH’s major source of tourists
TOURISM Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco is optimistic that Chinese tourists will soon be visiting the Philippines.
“As the Department of Tourism continues to work on supporting the Marcos administration’s objective of improving the enabling mechanisms for tourism in the country, we look forward with optimism to the resumption of Chinese leisure travel to our Philippine destinations,” a statement issued by the Department of Tourism (DOT) said.
The DOT said it recognizes the significant contribution of the People’s Republic of China as a major tourism source market of the Philippines.
Prior to the pandemic, China was our country’s second top source market ranking close next to South Korea, the DOT said.
In 2019 alone, 1,743, 309 million Chinese visited our country.
Needless to say, these numbers reverberate the cordial relationship that exists between the Chinese people and the Philippines particularly on the aspect of tourism, Frasco said.
Currently, China has not yet reopened its borders to outbound leisure travel of its own nationals cognizant of its present outbound restriction to its citizens; thus, registering only 17, 454 visitors to the Philippines in 2020; 6,615 in 2021; and 23,482 in 2022.
