By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo
THE Philippines recorded the fourth-largest growth in terms of international tourist arrivals among Southeast Asian countries, according to the latest report of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The UNWTO Tourism Highlights for 2016 showed international tourism arrivals in the Philippines rising by 11 percent in 2015, following Myanmar, which received a 52-percent hike in foreign tourists, Thailand (20.4 percent) and Lao PDR (12 percent).
In absolute terms, however, the Philippines ranked sixth in terms of international tourist arrivals at 5.36 million, after consistent top-ranking Thailand that recorded close to 30 million arrivals in 2015, followed by Malaysia, at 25.72 million; Singapore, at 12.05 million; Indonesia, 10.41 million; and Vietnam, at 8 million.
After the Philippines, follows Cambodia at 4.78 million; Myanmar, at 4.68 million; Lao PDR, at 3.54 million, and Brunei Darussalam, at 218,000. No data was available for Timor Leste in 2015, although it registered 60,000 foreign visitors in 2014.
In a text message, Undersecretary for Tourism Development Benito Bengzon Jr. of the Department of Tourism (DOT) said: “The UNWTO report is an affirmation that the Philippines is on the right track with its trajectory to grow the tourism business in the coming years.”
He added that “in fact, inbound visitors for January to May 2016 continued to register a double-digit growth [at 13 percent].”
As a region, Southeast Asia, which recorded 104.63 million in international tourist arrivals, accounted for some 9 percent of the 1.2 billion worldwide tourist arrivals in 2015.
The UNWTO also found that, despite safety and security concerns, France topped the global list in terms of international tourist arrivals last year, followed by the United States, Spain and China.
“Asia and the Pacific welcomed 279 million international tourists in 2015, 15 million more than in 2014, corresponding to a 6-percent growth,” according to the UNWTO report. “The region earned $418 billion in international tourism receipts, an increase of 4 percent in real terms. Asia and the Pacific account for 24 percent of the world’s arrivals, and 33 percent of receipts. By subregion, Southeast Asia [+8 percent in arrivals] and Oceania [+7 percent] recorded the strongest growth.”
The DOT has always underscored the fact that growth in international tourist arrivals of neighboring countries, like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, even Cambodia, Myanmar and Lao PDR, are driven by tourists merely crossing over the border.
“It is only the Philippines, where 99 percent of international visitors arrived via air, unlike other Southeast Asian countries,” Bengzon explained. He stressed, however, that “visitors in the Philippines stayed longest at 9.8 nights and spent $1,000 [P47,000] per trip,” compared to visitors in other Southeast Asian countries.
The DOT forecasts some 6 million foreign visitors to arrive in the country this year, down from its 10-million original target under its National Tourism Development Plan of 2011 to 2016.
Other findings by the UNWTO:
- Tourism flows were influenced by three major factors in 2015: the unusually strong exchange fluctuations; the decline in price of oil and other commodities; and increased global concern about safety and security in some destinations.
- China, the United States and the United Kingdom led outbound tourism in their respective regions in 2015, fueled by strong currencies and economies.
- Over half of international tourist arrivals, or 632 million, traveled for holidays, recreation and other forms of leisure; 14 percent traveled for business; and 27 percent visited friends and relatives, were on religious pilgrimages, or had health treatments.
The UNWTO forecasts international tourist arrivals worldwide to expand by at least 3.3 percent annually between 2010 and 2030. This is seen reaching 1.8 billion in 2030.
It added that the market share of emerging economies is seen hitting 57 percent by 2030, equivalent to 1 billion international tourist arrivals.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes