How's Philippine Tourism?

[Jollygoodfellow]

On 4/25/2023 at 10:55 PM, JJReyes said:

Does anyone have information if the arrivals are still as expected or has inflation dampen visitor enthusiasm?  Likewise on price increases for domestic tourism.  

Over one million this year up until about a month ago.

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines recorded 1.152,590 international tourist arrivals from Jan. 1 to March 15 this year.

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines recorded 1.152,590 international tourist arrivals from Jan. 1 to March 15 this year.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco share the figure on Wednesday at the Tourism Stakeholders’ Summit, where the Department of Tourism unveiled at the event its National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) for 2023 to 2028.

“In less than three months, we have already logged more than a million visitors into the Philippines. The country is well on its way to tourism recovery,” Frasco said in her speech.

“These figures build our confidence that we will, again, exceed our targets this year which we have set at 4.8 million international arrivals, and we fully foresee the full recovery of domestic recovery this year.”

This number is almost half of the 2.65 million international tourist arrivals recorded by DOT in 2022, which translated to P214 billion in revenues.

The 2023 target of 4.8 million international arrivals is part of the DOT’s goals in the NTDP, hoping to attain pre-pandemic domestic tourism levels in 2023.

NTDP as ‘guidebook’
In the same event, Frasco explained the significance of the NTDP, saying: “This will be the guidebook of the industry where we put in place mechanisms for sustainability for many many years to come.”

With the NTDP, Frasco was optimistic about the future of Philippine tourism,  despite the country dropping two places in the World Economic Forum 2021 Travel and Tourism Development Index.

“The momentum for recovery and growth has begun. We’ve eased restrictions. We’ve continued to aggressively promote our destinations through the DOT’s constant and unyielding presence in various exhibits in the Philippines and all over the world. And people are traveling now, and are traveling with a vengeance,” Frasco said.

“By promoting the Philippines through the biggest international tourism and trade fairs across Asia and Europe, we are re-introducing the Philippines to the world, and bringing no less than the best of the best of the country and the Filipino people.”

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1743455/dot-records-over-1-1-million-international-tourist-arrivals-in-2023

 

[JJReyes]

Glad to hear Philippine tourism is on the path of recovery.  I came across interesting travel data:

1)  Airfares are expected to reach a 5-year high this year.

2)  Delta Air Lines claims their international flights are already 75% booked for the summer.

3)  Ticket prices to Asia from the US are 60% higher than pre-pandemic.  It is approaching $2,000.

4)  Tickets to Europe from the US are 24% higher with $1,000 considered a good bargain, if you can find it.

5)  US hotel prices at 29% higher compared to April 2022.

6)  Some cruise ships are departing ports at 105% of capacity (children sharing rooms with their parents).

Personally, my wife and I tried booking a cruise to Hawaii.  Summer cruises from the West Coast are all sold out.  We were able to find one ship from Los Angeles being repositioned for the Alaska summer season.  This requires a one-way flight back from Vancouver.