The Department of Tourism (DOT) has exceeded its full-year 2022 projection of 1.7 million tourist arrivals to date, its secretary Ma. Christina Frasco said.
As of October, the United States has overtaken South Korea as the top source market followed by Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
“Our greatest challenge now is not only the recovery of the tourism industry, but to find ways to strengthen the industry from the ground up to be able to improve the enabling mechanisms which would allow us to address the long standing challenges faced by the industry and to finally take our well deserved spot not only in the Asean, but on the global stage,” Garcia told the Management Association of the Philippines general membership meeting yesterday.
She said one of the seven main initiatives of the DOT to accomplish the goal of making tourism one of the major economic pillars for the resurgence of the Philippines is to improve tourism infrastructure and accessibility by building roads, bridges, improving water systems to key and emerging destinations.
DOT recently broke ground on Tourist Rest Areas in Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon, Samal Island in Davao del Norte, and in Carmen and Medellin towns in Cebu to improve the tourism experience of visitors.
The DOT is undertaking the formulation of National Ecotourism Strategic Action Plan (NESAP) 2023 — 2028 to manage, protect and conserve the country’s environment and natural resources as well as cultural heritage for the present and future generations, and the National Tourism Development Plan for 2023-2028 which shall serve as the blueprint of the tourism industry. – Irma Isip
