RP’s tourist arrivals reach 2M in 1st half

THE country’s tourist arrivals from for the first six months this year almost reached two million.

Department of Tourism (DOT) records show that the country was visited by 1,919,130 tourists, posting a growth rate of 6.1 percent compared to last year’s figures.

For the six-month period, the months of January, March and July had the highest visitor volume at 293,803; 287,632 and 285,243, respectively.

The figures surpassed records in the last three years and established a new ceiling on visitor arrivals, a DOT statement said.

Korea remains the country’s top source market, with a share of 20 percent and a volume of 380,619 tourists.

The USA followed the list, with a market share of 19 percent or 366,662 tourists.

Slowdown

Japan ranked third with 216,114 arrivals, reflecting an 11 percent market share.

The economic slowdown in the three markets, however, has affected the growth rates in tourist arrivals for the period.

The count on the visitors from China went up by 18 percent to 102,653.

“The direct flight between Shanghai and Cebu initiated by the DOT has resulted in a 267 percent jump in visitors directly arriving in Mactan-Cebu International Airport,” DOT said.

Expanded

Tourists from Taiwan, a turn-around market, grew by 13 percent with a volume of 72,946. This has greatly expanded Taiwan’s market share to the overall arrival figures.

Hong Kong, another turn-around market, showed a four percent hike in visitor arrivals, DOT said.

Tourist arrivals from Malaysia reached 39,515 while Singaporeans totaled 57,332, an increase of eight percent and six percent, respectively.

Arrivals from Vietnam continued to show substantial growth as volume increased by 39 percent, the agency reported.

Outpaced

However, the European markets outpaced the growth rates registered by other source markets from January to July.

The number of tourists from the Russian Federation grew by 35 percent, France by 26 percent, Spain by 22 percent and the United Kingdom by 18 percent.

The Scandinavian market, which includes Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, recorded a 16 percent hike in tourist arrivals.

Tourists from Australia went up by 12 percent to 67,436. Canadian visitors, meanwhile, increased by 18 percent to 60,667 during the period.

Partial tourist receipts for January to July amounted to US$2.17 billion, the DOT said. (CYR)

Thursday, September 04, 2008 / Sunstar News