The three top tourist source markets for the Philippines were South Korea that supplied 1,785,357 tourists, China, a close runner-up with 1,626,309 tourists, and the United States with 954,952 travellers.
Out of the three countries, China was the fastest-growing market, with a growth rate of 40.2 percent compared to the same period in 2018. It is soon expected to outscore South Korea which have been on top of the list for several years already.
The target set for 2019 was 8.2 million foreign tourists, yet during the last days of the year the 8 millionth tourist was welcomed in Manila. While the official results of foreign tourist arrivals in 2019 are yet to be confirmed, it is estimated that the country would hit 8.1 million the maximum.
The DOT is still quite positive about the result as 2019's figures are higher than the year before. Boracay remained the top tourist destination of 2019, with 1.6 foreign visitors, followed by Cebu which attracted 1.4 million tourists, and Davao del Sur with 1.3 million.
2019 Tourist Arrivals in Philippines Slightly Lower than Targeted
News in Asia
According to the data released by the Department of Tourism (DOT) of the Philippines, between January and November 2019, 7.4 million international travellers visited the country, the number showing a 15.58 percent growth rate on year-to-year bases.