Travel and Tourism
Talong Festival celebrates farmers’ good harvest in Pangasinan town
January 19, 2024, 9:24 pm
VILLASIS, Pangasinan – The aroma of different eggplant dishes and desserts, colorful costumes of street dancers, and the usual hospitality of this town greeted residents and visitors to the Talong (eggplant) Festival 2024 on Friday. The municipal government ditched the Pinakbet sa Kawa (a dish… Read More
4 festivals draw tourists to Bulacan this January
January 18, 2024, 8:06 pm
CITY OF MALOLOS – Thousands of tourists are drawn to the province of Bulacan as three towns and a city celebrate their festivals this month. In Guiguinto town, officials and residents opened the 26th Halamanan Festival on Thursday, which showcases the locals' love for ornamental plants,… Read More
Palawan posts almost 90% rise in tourist arrivals in 2023
January 18, 2024, 8:02 pm
PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan – The tourism sector in this province posted significant gains in 2023, with an almost 90 percent increase in tourist arrivals compared to the previous year. In its latest report, the Provincial Tourism Promotions and Development Office (PTPDO) disclosed that a total of… Read More
Negros Or intensifies tourism efforts, targets 500K tourists in 2024
January 18, 2024, 7:46 pm
DUMAGUETE CITY – The provincial government of Negros Oriental vowed to double the number of tourist arrivals this year as it embarks on an aggressive tourism campaign. Woodrow Maquiling Jr., Provincial Tourism Board Executive Director and concurrent chair of the Provincial Tourism Council, told… Read More
Catanduanes eyes major tourism boost via digital promotion
January 16, 2024, 6:39 pm
LEGAZPI CITY – The Catanduanes Tourism Office, bolstered by a significant increase in visitor arrivals last year, said Tuesday it will step up its promotion of the province through a digital platform to sustain the upward trend. In an interview, Carmel Garcia, Catanduanes Tourism Office chief,… Read More
Padre Pio shrine in Batangas aims for int'l shrine status
January 16, 2024, 2:32 pm
MANILA – The National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio in Sto. Tomas, Batangas is looking to attain the status of an international shrine. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news website on Tuesday reported that the national shrine is aspiring for such stature, according to a… Read More
Puerto Princesa's 'Subaraw' festival nominated for PH LEAF Awards
January 15, 2024, 8:56 pm
PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan – The tourism sector here just received a post-pandemic boost when an annual event celebrating the city’s majestic Underground River was nominated for the Philippine LEAF Awards’ Outstanding Festival Category. Mayor Lucilo Bayron told reporters on Monday that fresh… Read More
Bolinao town records 635.8K tourist arrivals in 2023
January 12, 2024, 5:20 pm
MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – A total of 635,935 tourists visited the different travel destinations in Bolinao town, Pangasinan in 2023, exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Domestic tourists accounted for the bulk of the visitors at 613,936 while foreign tourists totalled to 21,999, Bolinao Tourism Office… Read More
Palawan ranks 4th in Tripadvisor world’s trending destinations
January 12, 2024, 4:12 pm Updated on January 12, 2024, 6:38 pm
MANILA – Palawan has been named the world’s fourth trending destination in Tripadvisor’s 2024 Travelers’ Choice Award Best of the Best Destination. The award places the island together with popular destinations across the world, including Tokyo in Japan, Seoul in South Korea, Halong Bay… Read More
Int’l campaign seen to draw more tourists in Caraga
January 11, 2024, 9:27 pm
BUTUAN CITY – The intensified international campaign of the Department of Tourism (DOT) is seen to draw more positive impacts in the tourism industry in the Caraga Region. This came as the DOT-13 (Caraga) welcomed the installation of two billboards at the Bart and Muni Light Railway Train… Read More
New luxury hotel to rise in San Vicente, Palawan
January 11, 2024, 6:24 pm
SAN VICENTE, Palawan – Palawan's tourism and hospitality industries are getting a much-needed boost after a major developer announced that it would be building another luxury hotel in this municipality. Megaworld, touted as one of the country's premier property developers and operators, said it… Read More
Albay town opens WW II Japanese tunnel as new tourism site
January 10, 2024, 5:15 pm
LEGAZPI CITY – A new historical tourism site in Camalig town in Albay province is expected to provide residents with additional livelihood opportunities. In an interview on Wednesday, Tim Florece, Camalig spokesperson, said the World War II Japanese tunnel at Quituinan Hill in Barangay Tinago… Read More
South Korea's Jeju Air opening direct flights to Puerto Princesa
January 9, 2024, 7:17 pm
PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan – Jeju Air, touted as South Korea’s first and largest low-cost airline, is opening direct flights from Incheon to Puerto Princesa beginning in March. Demetrio Alvior Jr., chief of the City Tourism Department (CTD), told reporters on Tuesday that this new route is… Read More
Puerto Princesa logs 76% rise in tourist arrivals in 2023
January 9, 2024, 5:42 pm
PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan – The City Tourism Department here has reported a notable rise in tourist arrivals in 2023, reaching nearly 529,000, according to preliminary data. Puerto Princesa tourism chief Demetrio Alvior Jr. said Monday afternoon the current count could still rise as not all data… Read More
DOT: Long weekends to boost domestic tourism
January 5, 2024, 5:55 pm
MANILA – The four long weekends spread throughout the year is expected to further boost the country’s travel industry, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Friday. In a statement, DOT Secretary Christina Frasco joined President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in urging Filipinos to travel around the… Read More
Antique’s laid-back ambiance, religious relics attract more tourists
January 4, 2024, 7:24 pm
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The laid-back ambiance and religious relics are among the attractions, drawing more tourists to Antique after the health pandemic.Antique Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (APTCAO) consultant Niklaus de los Reyes Torres said in an interview Thursday… Read More
PH records 5.45M int’l visitors in 2023
January 2, 2024, 4:18 pm Updated on January 2, 2024, 4:20 pm
MANILA – The Philippines welcomed a total of 5,450,557 international visitors in 2023, well above the 4.8 million target arrivals the Department of Tourism (DOT) earlier set for the entire year. Of this number, 91.80 percent or 5,003,475 are foreigners while the remaining are 447,082 overseas… Read More
DOT urged to lure more overseas Filipinos to visit PH
December 29, 2023, 5:54 pm
MANILA – House Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan on Friday urged the Department of Tourism (DOT) to encourage Filipinos abroad to spend their holidays in the Philippines to help boost the country’s tourism revenues through their spending. “We want the… Read More
Long weekend ahead: Leisure trips to consider just outside NCR
December 29, 2023, 9:33 am
MANILA – Thinking of traveling to make the most out of this upcoming long weekend but have yet to decide where to go? Look no further as nearby towns outside Metro Manila are teeming with a myriad of destinations that can surely satisfy all types of travelers.Below are attractions and activities… Read More
PH tourism: A year of exceeding expectations
December 27, 2023, 9:46 am
MANILA – As inbound and domestic travel gain momentum, tourism in the Philippines has seen a remarkable turnaround this 2023, breaching targets and continuing to generate employment to millions of Filipinos. Based on the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) latest data, the industry already surpassed… Read More
