PH tourism's long road to global competitiveness

In 2025, Philippine tourism experienced a pivotal year that was marked by remarkable domestic momentum, a historic surge in air travel through Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), and a renewed strategic emphasis on reclaiming its status as a global destination.

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Beneath the upbeat headline figures lies a nuanced story of promise tempered by ongoing challenges that demand both urgency and innovation from the Department of Tourism (DOT) - and all-round support from the government and private sector stakeholders of the tourism industry.

At the heart of this transformation has been the explosive growth of domestic tourism. As international arrivals lag behind regional peers, local travel has emerged as the backbone of the sector's recovery and expansion. Filipinos' passion for exploring their own archipelago has driven spending to near record peaks, with domestic tourism expenditures eclipsing pre-pandemic levels and consolidating tourism's role as a pillar of economic activity in cities and rural communities alike.