The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said it is investing in the construction of dedicated cruise terminals in several ports in the country to address the anticipated 30 percent growth in cruise tourism this year.
PPA in a statement on February 1 did not provide figures but said it is investing in new and improved port infrastructure which includes construction of dedicated cruise terminals in Coron, Aklan and Camiguin, as well as a cruise ship port in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, with the bid submission deadline set for February 5.
Last year, PPA recorded a 62 percent increase in cruise passenger arrivals to 142,574 passengers compared to 88,080 in 2023 — the highest tally post-pandemic.
“The agency projects continued growth in 2025, expecting 185,000 cruise passengers, a 29.8 percent increase from the previous year,” PPA said in a statement on February 1.
It added it is optimistic in the cruise tourism sector as two international cruise vessels made port calls at key tourist destinations in the country to close the first month of 2025.
The Maltese-flagged cruise ship MS Europa 2 arrived in Bohol on January 31 as part of its Asian itinerary.
The international cruise ship MV Norwegian Sky returned to Manila South Harbor on January 30.
