Kula Lumpur (VNA) - The Philippine tourism sector gained more than 4.83 billion USD in revenue in the first half of 2024, up 32.81% from the same period last year, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said on July 11.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said that the increase will contribute to more livelihood opportunities for Filipinos, thereby improving the national economy.
The income generated through tourism directly translates to more opportunities and improved livelihoods for Filipinos, reinforcing the critical role this industry plays in the nation’s progress, the official said.
According to the DOT, tourist arrivals in the country reached 3.17 million by the end of June, including 2.9 million foreigners.
The Republic of Korea ranked first in foreign arrivals with 824,798, followed by the US with 522,667, and China with 199,939.
Japan, Australia, Taiwan (China), Canada, the UK, Singapore and Malaysia are the fourth to tenth source markets, respectively.
The DoT predicts the above-mentioned numbers will continue to increase in the second half of the year, not only in terms of revenue generated but most importantly in the number of Filipinos working in the tourism-related industries, she added./.
