STAKEHOLDERS of the Philippine tourism industry have raised concern over the statement of Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, who recently said that foreign travelers are avoiding the Philippines because they “don’t feel safe” in the country.
Arthur Lopez, president of the Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA), described Remulla’s remark as not only ill-advised, but also damaging to the country’s global reputation as a travel destination.
Lopez was referring to Remulla’s keynote address at the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association’s (HSMA) Sales and Marketing Summit, where he said: “People do not want to come to the country because they don’t feel safe. They are afraid. There is cynicism in all the bad news that goes on here, and in the political atmosphere, and killing seems an ordinary activity [so] people become afraid.”
His statement came after the “HelloSafe Safety Index 2025” initially placed the Philippines as the “least safe” country for tourists.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco has denounced HelloSafe’s survey, saying it was “built on questionable data, lacking in transparency, and entirely disconnected from realities on the ground.”
Lopez warned that such rankings, and worse, official admissions that appear to support them, could undo years of hard work in rebuilding tourism post-pandemic.
“The HelloSafe report is misleading, unfair, and detrimental to the efforts of the tourism and hospitality industry. We fully support Secretary Frasco’s call to set the record straight,” Lopez said.
Maria Paz Alberto, president of the Philippine IATA Agents Travel Association (PIATA) and Philippine chapter chair of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), said misleading narratives such as the HelloSafe index can “deter prospective visitors and cause lasting repercussions to businesses reliant on inbound tourism.”
Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) president Arjun Shroff added that responsible messaging is critical, stressing that false narratives must be corrected swiftly, as “it is vital that the government projects confidence in local tourism capabilities.”
Stakeholders stressed that tourism is a perception-driven industry, and public confidence can be easily shaken by conflicting or negative messaging from the government itself.
“It’s already challenging to correct global misconceptions,” said one tourism executive who declined to be named. “But when a Cabinet official echoes those misconceptions, the damage doubles.”
