Travel and Tourism
Chinese tourists to fuel global econ recovery, cultural exchange
January 26, 2023, 6:04 pm Updated on January 26, 2023, 6:14 pm
BEIJING – "We cannot wait to have the Chinese back in our restaurants. We missed it so much," said Alix Pickard, a senior manager of a British restaurant corporation. China relaxed its outbound travel restrictions amid its recent overall Covid-19 response shift. Officials and tourism… Read More
Cebu City to hold foreign cultural festivals to boost tourism
January 25, 2023, 12:59 pm
CEBU CITY – The Cebu City government will hold cultural festivals celebrated in different countries to boost tourism in line with the full reopening of the economy amid Covid-19, an official said on Wednesday. Lawyer Jocelyn Pesquera, Cebu City Tourism Commission chief, said this year's planned… Read More
Travel deals, marked-down airfares up for grabs at PTAA expo
January 25, 2023, 8:31 am
MANILA – As much as 70 percent discount on airfares and travel packages are expected at the 2023 Travel Tour Expo (TTE) happening at the SMX Convention Center Manila on Feb. 3. In a press launch Tuesday, the event organizer Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) said the staging of TTE… Read More
Rosy prospects for tourism as Chinese travelers return to PH
January 24, 2023, 9:58 pm
MANILA – The Philippines on Tuesday welcomed a planeload of Chinese travelers after China finally eases its restriction for outbound travel. About 190 visitors from Xiamen arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 via Xiamen Airlines flight MF819. With China contributing to… Read More
'Revenge tourism' providing huge boost to PH economy: BSP
January 23, 2023, 7:11 pm
BAGUIO CITY – Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat is optimistic about continuous economic recovery with the current upward trend in "revenge tourism." "Masaya ako ngayon with revenge tourism. People want to travel, gumagastos ang mga tao, namimili sa… Read More
Int’l tourism makes 63% of pre-virus level in 2022
January 19, 2023, 7:29 pm
ANKARA – International tourism made 63 percent of its pre-virus level in 2022 despite doubling from a year ago, according to the UN tourism agency. A total of 917 million tourists traveled internationally last year, up 101.6 percent from the previous year, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)… Read More
PH's biggest passenger port terminal nears completion
January 17, 2023, 7:43 pm
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro – The country's biggest passenger terminal building (PTB) of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in Barangay San Antonio here is now 98 percent complete and will start operating next month, an official of the Philippine Ports Authority-Port Management Office… Read More
Cebu airport welcomes maiden flight from Taiwan
January 17, 2023, 7:33 pm
CEBU CITY – The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) on Tuesday officially welcomed the inaugural flight from Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan. Executives from the GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC), along with the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA)… Read More
DOT to deploy 'tourist cops' in Bicol
January 15, 2023, 4:39 pm
LEGAZPI CITY – The Department of Tourism in Bicol (DOT-5) will soon deploy "tourist cops" in the different local government units (LGUs) as it activates its Tourist-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection (TOPCOP) program. On Sunday, Herbie Aguas, DOT-5 director, said the creation and… Read More
PH, China to resume direct flights, pre-Covid tourism figures
January 5, 2023, 1:29 pm
MANILA – The Philippine and Chinese governments are committed to bringing back pre-pandemic levels of tourist arrivals and resuming direct flights, especially between Manila and Beijing. The commitment came following the signing of the Implementation Program (IP) of the Memorandum of… Read More
Normal ops resume at Dumaguete airport
January 3, 2023, 4:27 pm
DUMAGUETE CITY – All flights to and from the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport in Negros Oriental returned to normal on Tuesday following two days of cancellations due to air navigation technical issues at the Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC) of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines… Read More
PH exceeds target with 2.6-M international arrivals in 2022
January 2, 2023, 8:07 pm
MANILA – The holidays delivered further gains for the Philippine tourism industry as it breached its 1.7-million target with 2.65 million international arrivals as of the end of 2022. The arrivals translated to PHP208.96 billion or USD3.68 billion in tourism revenues, a whopping 2,465.75-percent… Read More
MCIA conducts 'recovery' flights for stranded NAIA passengers
January 2, 2023, 1:12 pm
CEBU CITY – The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) on Monday said "recovery" flights are ongoing, servicing flights canceled on Sunday due to technical concerns at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). Mary Ann Dimayabao, MCIA information officer, said recovery flights started at… Read More
Yearender: Ushering in ‘era of tourism’
December 31, 2022, 9:56 am Updated on January 1, 2023, 10:07 am
MANILA – After reeling from the devastating effects of the pandemic for more than two years, the Philippines is finally ready to usher in an "era of tourism". Since the onset of the global health crisis that shuttered borders and grounded flights, the Department of Tourism (DOT) together with… Read More
Davao City eyed as Asia’s preferred MICE destination: TPB
December 23, 2022, 2:35 pm
MANILA – Davao City will host the Philippine meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions conference (MICECON) in March 2023, setting the stage for the hard-hit sector's gradual recovery after the pandemic. A memorandum of agreement between the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) and Davao City… Read More
DOT among top 3 gov't agencies with highest approval rating
December 21, 2022, 8:54 pm
MANILA – Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco welcomes the Publicus Asia survey result which placed the tourism agency among top three government agencies with the highest approval rating nationwide. The survey, conducted between Nov. 25 to 30 this year, also ranked the… Read More
DOT moves to digitalize tourism services nationwide
December 21, 2022, 4:45 pm
MANILA – The government moves to digitalize tourism services across the country and improve internet connectivity in 94 identified destinations with a newly-signed deal between the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). "Most of these… Read More
PH targets 4.8M visitor arrivals, $5.8-B tourism revenue in 2023
December 19, 2022, 7:49 pm
MANILA – The Philippines eyes to double its tourism revenues and reach at least 4.8 million in foreign visitor arrivals in 2023. Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco Friday revealed the projections as she presented the efforts of the agency to expedite tourism's recovery. Frasco said… Read More
More ‘balikbayans’ coming home to Cebu this Christmas
December 16, 2022, 7:48 pm
CEBU CITY – More "balikbayans" or vacationing Filipinos are coming home to Cebu from the United States this holiday season, with passenger traffic almost nearing the pre-pandemic level, a US-based travel consolidator said on Friday. Peter Vazan, chief executive officer of Trevolution Group, said… Read More
Cebu airport eases security restrictions amid holiday rush
December 16, 2022, 3:47 pm
CEBU CITY – Amid the Christmas holiday rush, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport will no longer require passengers departing for domestic flights to undergo initial security screening. Mary Ann Dimayabao, MCIA public affairs office manager, said screening for both carry-on and checked luggage… Read More
