The Metro Manila ‘It All Starts Here’ campaign centers on the strategic position of Manila as the core of the country’s tourism. (Photo courtesy: DOT-NCR)
QUEZON CITY (PIA) – From how it looks, tourism has fully recovered from the pandemic-triggered slump, as the National Capital Region (NCR) in 2023 logged a figure way higher than what was recorded in the previous year, says the Department of Tourism (DOT).
Citing government data, DOT-National Capital Region (DOT-NCR) Director Sharlene Zabala-Batin said that the agency recorded a total of 32,482,842 tourist arrivals in 2023, surpassing the 24 million arrivals in 2022.
According to Director Zabala-Batin, the uptick in tourist arrivals in Metro Manila may as well be attributed to the transport accessibility, internet connectivity, and the usual hospitality for which Filipinos are known.
“Specifically, in the National Capital Region, we have achieved remarkable progress that exemplifies our efforts. With initiatives aimed at enhancing visitor experiences, improving infrastructure, and promoting sustainable tourism, we have seen a significant interest in our country from both local and international travelers,” Batin was quoted as saying during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas (KBP).
Among Metro Manila spots that logged quite a significant number of visitors were the complexes of national museums, the historic Rizal Park, the walled city of Intramuros, and other culturally important local destinations.
The DOT primarily enabled a seamless travel experience for travelers wanting to explore Metro Manila through Hop-On-Hop-Off (HOHO) Bus Tours, offering the convenience of arranging and booking either a self-guided or curated tour across the capital, traversing the cultural hub of Manila, the financial hub of Makati, and the entertainment hub of Pasay and Parañaque.
Interestingly, HOHO Travel by the Hubs Project has already served 1,956 tourists since its launch in 2023.
Meanwhile, the NCR also recorded a total of 7,143,531 overnight tourists in 2023, representing a 27.6 percent increase from the 2022 data, which had 5.6 million registered overnight tourists.
The top five (5) Metro Manila cities that recorded the highest number of overnight tourist arrivals are Quezon City, Parañaque, Makati, Pasay, and Manila.
Citizens from the United States of America topped the list of foreigners with 378,813 overnight arrivals, followed by South Korea with 315,383, China with 244,303, Japan with 169,054, Australia with 100,239, Singapore with 95,767, Taiwan with 57,026, Malaysia with 54,992, the United Kingdom with 46,222, and surprisingly, India with 45,430.
Taking note of the last country on the list, Batin made a special mention of India, which she aptly described as a potential exponent in the government’s tourism campaign. The tourism official particularly cited a radical increase in overnight arrivals to more than 45,000 from the 20,000 recorded arrivals in 2022.
She also expressed hopes for an exponential increase in tourist arrivals from India in light of the recent directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to streamline the processing of e-VISA transactions for Indian nationals who are interested in visiting the Philippines.
The nationwide, simultaneous Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas is being presented by the Presidential Communications Office through the 16 regional offices of the Philippine Information Agency. (JMP/PIA-NCR)
