4M FOREIGN TOURISTS DUMAGSA SA PH

MAHIGIT sa apat na milyong foreign tourists ang dumating sa bansa magmula noong Enero 2023, ayon kay Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco.

Ani Frasco, umabot sa kabuuang 4,005,465 ang foreign arrivals sa bansa.

“I am very pleased to deliver the good news that today we have managed to reach the four-million mark in international arrivals in the Philippines,” pahayag niya sa pagbubukas ng 2023 Travel Sale Expo sa SM Megamall sa Mandaluyong City.

Sumasandal sa revenge travel at sa inaasahang pagdagsa ng mga turista sa holiday season, tiwala si Frasco na maaabot pa rin ng bansa ang target nitong 4.8 million arrivals sa pagtatapos ng taon.

“The Philippines continues to be a top-of-mind destination all over the world. We have a number of award-winning destinations. We’re optimistic that we will be able to meet if not exceed the target set for the end of the year,” aniya.

Ang South Korea ay nananatiling top tourist market ng bansa na may 1.04 million visitors ngayong taon, sumusunod ang United States, Japan, China, at Australia. Base sa latest figures, ang Pilipinas sa kasalu- kuyan ay tumanggap ng 194,209 Chinese tourists ngayong taon. Bago ang pandemya, ang Chinese travelers ay umabot sa ma- higit sa 1.7 million.

Tiniyak din ni Frasco sa tourism stakeholders na gagawin ng Department of Tourism (DOT) ang parte nito para mapantayan ang kanilang trabaho sa pagpo-promote sa Pilipinas bilang isang top destination.

“Tourism is back. What I can assure our partners in the private sector in the tourism sector is that we will try to, as best as we can, to match the hard work (they) put in to en- sure that this industry continues to thrive,” aniya.

Sinabi pa ni Frasco na ipagpapatuloy rin ng DOT ang pagsusulong sa visa policy reforms upang makaakit ng mas maraming Chinese tourists at iba pang emerging markets sa bansa.

Ayon kay Franco, ang three-day Travel Sale Expo ay makatutulong sa pinalawak na travel activities sa bansa.

“It will also help our key destinations like Boracay, Cebu, Palawan, Bohol, and the like, in- cluding our emerging destinations in other parts of the country,” aniya.

Ang expo ay tinatampukan ng mahigit sa 100 exhibitors na kumakatawan sa travel agencies, airlines, hotels, tour operators, cruise liners at travel insurance.

“Travel Sale Expo was born not only to promote tourism but also (sustain) jobs in the tourism industry. The Travel Sale Expo is actually open to all tourism stakeholders, they don’t need to be accredited in our travel association as long as they are operating legitimately in the Philippines,” wika ni 2023 Travel Sales Expo chairperson Michelle Taylan.

(PNA)