MEDIA RELEASE

3 March 2016
Uninterrupted, robust growth in tourism since 2010

Tourism has become one of the major economic drivers in the Philippines under the
Aquino Administration, marked with strong, continued, and uninterrupted growth in both visitor
arrivals and receipts. This is amidst various challenges, such as weather disturbances and
natural calamities (super typhoon, earthquake) experienced by the country in recent years.
International tourist arrivals posted a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.77
percent from 2010 to 2015,higher than the 7.76 percent CAGR achieved in nine years from
2001 to 2010. International tourist receipts also showed a dramatic increase from P112.55 in
2010 to P227.62B in 2015.
For the year 2015, tourism remained profitable and accounted for an estimated US$5.0
billion or Php227.62 billion worth of international visitor receipts. This is 5.92% percent greater
than the 2014 total earnings of Php214.88 billion, with the month of December 2015 yielding
the peak of all tourism activities at PhP 23.47 billion and the month of September 2015
registering the highest growth of 24.24%.
Korea continued to be the top spending market with visitor spending amounting to Php
66.55 billion for the year 2015. U.S.A. ranked second with Php 42.31 billion expenditure
followed by Australia with Php 12.83 billion, overtaking Japan which provided Php 12.20 billion
to take the fourth spot. Completing the top five spending markets is China with visitor spending
of Php10.19 billion. Moreover, among the top twelve markets of the country, visitors from
Canada recorded the highest per capita spending for 2015 with Php 65,537.00 while visitors
from Germany provided the second biggest per capita spending of Php 58,308.29. USA ranked
third with per capita spending of Php 55,808.05. Other top markets with high per capita
spending include United Kingdom with Php 54,912.69; Australia with Php 53,846.21; and Korea
with Php 48,973.54.
For the year 2015, tourists spent an average of Php 4,888.82. They also spent heavily
last year, with an average per capita expenditure of Php 48,350.44. Their average length of
stay in the country is registered at around 10 nights.
In terms of visitor arrivals, the industry also marked another milestone as, for the first
time in history, total inbound tourists surpassed the five million mark, with the Philippines
welcoming 5,360,682 visitors in 2015. It posted a 10.91% growth from the 4,833,368 foreign

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visitors recorded in 2014. The strong performance of the industry may be attributed to the
aggressive branding and promotional activities launched in key and emerging markets, e.g.,
Visit the Philippines Year (VPY) 2015, destination-based marketing materials, introduction of
new and exciting destinations/products offered, influx of visitors during the Christmas holidays,
and hosting of major international events such as the visit of Pope Francis, APEC 2015
meetings, Madrid Fusion Manila, Iron Man challenge, among many others.
Our VPY 2015 campaign and destination-based marketing materials helped in
increasing awareness and generating a positive performance, while our market development
efforts served to ensure that this growth will be sustained year on year. The strategies outlined
in the countrys National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2011-2016 have enabled us to
stay on focused in improving the sectors competitiveness and in contributing to the countrys
overall goal of inclusive growth. More than accounting for a significant share of the countrys
Gross Domestic Product, this rapid growth in the industry is allowing decent jobs and livelihood
for many Filipinos. For 2015, tourism employment is estimated at 4.99 million with a share of
12.7% to national employment, already representing 4.8% growth from 2014, Tourism
Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. said.
Secretary Jimenez added, At the rate that the industry is growing, tourism has proven
that it is an important pillar in the countrys economic growth. More than the industrys
performance in terms of numbers, tourism has proven to be a successful means to spread the
growth of the country to various sectors, from the protection of the environment to the
emergence of local businesses, the development of infrastructure, and the preservation of our
cultural heritage.
Korea is the biggest source market with the year 2015 marking another milestone by
providing 1.34 million visitors - the first country market to surpass the 1.3 million mark
accounting for 25% of total arrivals and posting a significant growth of 13.97%. Since 2012,
Korea has remained consistent in producing more than a million arrivals to the country.The
United States of America supplied the second biggest influx of tourist arrivals with 779,217
visitors, with a 14.54% share. Japan claimed the third spot, providing 495,662 visitors and a
share of 9.25% to the total. This market grew by 6.88% vis--vis its arrivals of 463,744 a year
ago. China followed by contributing 490,841 visitors, comprising 9.16% of the total inbound
traffic. The fifth major inbound market was Australia with 241,187 arrivals for a 4.5% share.
Rounding up the top ten visitor markets are Singapore (+1.16%) with 181,176 arrivals; Taiwan
(+24.27%) with 177,670 arrivals; Canada (+8.66%) with 156,363 arrivals; Malaysia (+11.90%)
with 155,814 arrivals; and United Kingdom (+15.65%) with 154,589 arrivals.
All top markets sustained positive growth, with Germany reclaiming its position in the
top 12 countries after it slid down to India in the previous months. Among the top 12 markets,
China was able to post the highest growth of 24.28%, followed by Taiwan with an increase of
24.27%. Other high growth markets are Spain with 24,144 arrivals (+24.76%), New Zealand
with 20,579 arrivals (+16.24%), France with 45,505 (+16.84%), Saudi Arabia with 50,884
arrivals (+17.02%), Netherlands with 28,632 arrivals (+13.46%), and Hongkong with 122,180
(+7.08).

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The past five years up to the present has been a story of how the DOT, together with
its attached agencies, has achieved an enhanced orientation as the countrys primary
marketing and selling unit. Together with the support of both public and private sectors, we
were able to transform tourism into a national industry. Indeed, it has been a journey of an
entire country working together to make tourism the peoples business, Secretary Jimenez
concluded.
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CONTACT: Director Jazmin Esguerra
Media and Communications Service
459-5200
jcesguerra@tourism.gov.ph | esguerra_jazmin@yahoo.com

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