INTERNATIONAL travelers to the Philippines continued to slip in the nine months to September this year, although balikbayans (homecoming Filipinos) helped cushion the arrivals from a bigger fall.
Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed 4.3 million foreign nationals arrived from January to September 2025, some 2.4 percent less than the same period last year. Of total arrivals, there were only 3.9 million foreign nationals, 3.5 percent less than last year’s 4.08 million, while overseas Filipinos reached 392,317, up 10.3 percent from the same period last year. Overseas Filipinos are defined as Philippine passport holders permanently residing abroad.
This developed as the DOT welcomed the rollout of the electronic visa (e-visa) scheme for Chinese nationals starting in November.
INTERNATIONAL travelers to the Philippines continued to slip in the nine months to September this year, although balikbayans (homecoming Filipinos) helped cushion the arrivals from a bigger fall.
Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed 4.3 million foreign nationals arrived from January to September 2025, some 2.4 percent less than the same period last year. Of total arrivals, there were only 3.9 million foreign nationals, 3.5 percent less than last year’s 4.08 million, while overseas Filipinos reached 392,317, up 10.3 percent from the same period last year. Overseas Filipinos are defined as Philippine passport holders permanently residing abroad.
This developed as the DOT welcomed the rollout of the electronic visa (e-visa) scheme for Chinese nationals starting in November.
Earlier, leaders of tourism stakeholders groups welcomed the development and expressed optimism that this will boost arrivals from China. But one also pointed out that this e-visa policy should be supported by timely marketing strategies.
DOT Undersecretary Verna Esmeralda C. Buensuceso also told the BusinessMirror that the agency has never stopped accrediting Chinese tour operators, to help facilitate the arrivals of tour groups from China. ‘Accreditation of tour operators is done jointly with the DFA. This is for those applying for tour visas. This is not covered by the e-visa system, so the application for tour visas continue through the Philippine foreign posts in China,’ she said.
Lifts from Japan, Australia
DOT officials have yet to say if the e-visa policy will encourage the agency to recalibrate anew its targets under the National Tourism Development Plan for 2023-2028. At a budget presentation prior to the e-visa for China announcement, Frasco told senators that the arrivals target for 2026 is 6.7 million, but failed to reveal this year’s target.
Meanwhile, of total arrivals, South Korea was still the top source market at 955,699 tourists, although this was 20.16 percent less than the same period in 2024. The United States followed at 743,998, which rose by 7.18 percent; Japan at 344,513 (+17.32 percent); Australia at 217,209 (+15.94 percent); China at 202,738 (-22.06 percent); and Canada 187,189 (+17.26 percent).
The other top source markets were: Taiwan at 149,959 (-11.53 percent); the United Kingdom at 126,301 (+7.61 percent); Singapore at 115,374 (-0.26 percent); Malaysia at 71,191 (-2.54 percent); India at 66,269 (+8.22 percent); and Germany at 59,240 (2.92 percent).
The DOT is also pinning its hopes on the Indian market, which was recently given visa-free status by Manila. Air India has started flying direct from New Delhi to India, although local carriers have yet to be roped into offering the new route. Last year, 70,286 tourists arrived from India, some 48 percent less than the 134,963 who arrived in prepandemic 2019.