The Philippines is failing to hit tourism arrival targets even when global travel have already exceeded pre-pandemic levels, leading government officials bickering on tactics and priorities.
A supposed tourism hotspot because of its divine beaches and famous hospitality, the archipelago recorded 5.94 million international visitor arrivals in 2024, a 9.15% increase from 2023 but below the 7.7 million target for the year.
Last year, total visitor arrivals in the Philippines hit approximately 6.48 million, showing a slight 0.76% increase over 2024, but an underachievement when leisure travel grew by an average of 4% globally.
In a Congressional hearing this week, a lawmaker expressed alarm that the Philippines is left eating dust to other Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand that have at least 15 to 30 million visitors in 2024.
Senator Raffy Tulfo blamed Philippine tourism chief Christina Frasco for her wrong strategy of highlighting herself rather than top destinations in tourism promotion materials issued by her agency.
“I’m very sorry, Secretary Frasco. It seems like you’re turning into a vlogger. It will not sell if the marketing materials are filled with your face. It shouldn’t happen,” Tulfo said.
The senator presented slides during the investigation showing Frasco on magazine covers, posters and social media reels, acting like a model on each.
“For example, there’s this magazine in Japan. I think it’s a free publication. It was supposed to be an opportunity to showcase our tourism industry in Japan,” he said. “Instead, it’s you who appears. Just you, even during the groundbreaking ceremonies,” the senator added.
He pointed out that the Philippine Department of Tourism must focus more on showcasing destinations, food, wellness, and Filipino culture rather than personalities.
Frasco defended herself, saying she was unaware that the publications would use her photos on the materials nor did she give consent.
“My understanding is that the photo used on the cover was lifted from the coverage of a particular event, and the contents of the magazine were all lifted materials,” Frasco explained.
“These were not the product of interviews conducted with me, because there were none,” she added.
Tulfo pressed: “In other countries like Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia, and Japan, you don’t see the faces of their tourism secretaries in promotional materials.”
Amid the finger-pointing however, the Philippines is missing out on the rising trend in global travel that has fully recovered from the Covid outbreak in 2020. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
