Philippine Tourism Industry Revenue for 2007

Tourist arrivals breach three-million mark in 2007

STATE TOURISM data show that 8.7% more tourists arrived last year over 2006, spending 40% more than total tourist expenditures recorded in 2006.

The summary of the Tourism department’s yearend report showed that tourist arrivals breached the 3-million mark after staying within the 2-million territory from 2004-2006.

Specifically, number of arriving tourists rose 8.7% to 3.091 million last year from 2.843 million in 2006.

The 2006 figure was 8.4% more than 2.623 million in 2005, which in turn was 14.4% more than the 2.291 million recorded in 2004.

Tourists last year spent a total of $4.885 billion, or 40% more than the $2.622-billion tourist spending recorded in 2006. Last year’s amount was also nearly a third more than the $3.782-billion target set for 2007.

The 2006 amount was 17% more than the $2.236 billion in 2005, which in turn was 12% more than the $1.99 billion recorded in 2004.

The Tourism department targets tourist spending to rise to $5.8 billion this year.

The top 10 tourist sources last year were:

• South Korea, with arrivals increasing 14.2% year-on-year to 653,310, accounting for 21.1% of total tourist arrivals;
• US, rising 2% to 578,983 and accounting for 18.7%;
• Japan, actually dropping 6.4% to 395,012 and accounting for 12.8%;
• China, rising 18% to 157,601 and accounting 5.1%;
• Australia, rising 11% to 112,466 and accounting for 3.6%;
• Taiwan, dropping 2.4% to 112,206 and also accounting for 3.6%;
• Hong Kong, rising 16.3% to 111,948 and accounting also for 3.6%;
• Singapore, rising 15.9% to 94,008 and accounting for 3%;
• Canada, rising 13.4% to 91,308 and also accounting for 3%; and
• the United Kingdom, increasing 16.3% to 79,670 and making up 2.6%.

Russians posted the biggest jump, doubling (128%) from 2006.

The GMA News, Saksi, reported that the tourism industry earned higher than the BPO industry. It's amazing to know that foreigners really love our country. I hope all Filipinos will also find our country beautiful.