Tourist arrivals in the Philippines rose by 1.5 percent to a record 3.14 million in 2008, despite the global financial crisis, the Tourism department said Wednesday.
It attributed the rise partly to a big increase in arrivals from European markets such as Russia, up 34 percent in 2008, and France, up 18.7 percent.
The department also cited the opening of chartered flights from Shanghai, Nanning, Guangzhou and Kunming in China, as well as Taipei and Kaohsiung, for bringing more visitors from China and Taiwan.
South Korea topped the number of arrivals with 611,629 in 2008, up 19.48 percent from the 2007 figure, while the US was second with 578,246 arrivals, up 18.4 percent, the department said in a statement.
It said the global economic crisis would likely lead to a contraction in overseas tourism worldwide and forecast that the rise in tourist arrivals in the Philippines this year would range from zero to 1.9 percent, “depending on the recovery of key source markets”.
Tourism accounts for 6.2 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.
— AFP
June 2025
Philippine Environment Month!
“Action for Nature, for the Future!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
1 Jun – World Day of Parents
5 Jun – World Environment Day
7 Jun – World Food Safety Day
8 Jun – World Oceans Day
12 Jun – World Day Against Child Labour
15 Jun – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
16 Jun – International Day of Family Remittances
17 Jun – World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
20 Jun – World Refugee Day
25 Jun – Day of the Seafarer
27 Jun – Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day
Daily Observances:
June 6: Migrant Workers Day
June 19: Filipino Youth Day
June 25: Day of the Filipino Seafarer
