Phl travel still heavily reliant on local tourism — report

The Philippines is still far from becoming a regional hub for foreign tourists as the country's tourism industry remains heavily reliant on local travelers.

- Elijah Felice Rosales

Based on a report by the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD), the Philippine travel market remains driven by domestic tourism.

Drawing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, CPBRD said tourism expenditures went up by 13 percent to P3.86 trillion in 2024 from P3.41 trillion in 2023.

The local travel market made up 82 percent of the amount at P3.16 trillion, showing how locally reliant the tourism industry is. Tourism expenditures from foreigners rose by just below one percent to P700 billion, as growth started to taper off from the post-pandemic spike.