A viral social media thread lamenting the Philippines’ seventh-place rating for vacationer arrivals in Southeast Asia has sparked soul-searching amongst Filipinos, who blame poor infrastructure, excessive prices and weak accessibility – at the same time as consultants say the nation is quietly shifting in direction of a extra sustainable, higher-value mannequin of tourism.
The web uproar started with a broadly shared submit by content material creator Thea Tan, who wrote on social media earlier this month: “The Philippines has what different international locations dream of: jaw-dropping seashores, vibrant tradition, unbelievable meals, and the warmest locals. So, why are vacationers nonetheless selecting Thailand, Vietnam, and Bali over us?”
Tan cited figures from the Outbox Firm, a Vietnam-based journey intelligence agency, exhibiting that the Philippines attracted simply 2.1 million of Southeast Asia’s 48.5 million vacationer arrivals within the first 4 months of this 12 months.
Malaysia led the area with 13.4 million guests, whereas Thailand had 12.09 million and Vietnam welcomed 7.67 million vacationers in the identical interval, official information from the international locations confirmed.
In 2024, the Philippines acquired 5.9 million guests – narrowly trailing Cambodia’s 6.7 million and effectively wanting its goal of seven.7 million, in keeping with authorities statistics.
Vacationers at Chocolate Hills in Bohol province within the Philippines. Solely 5.7 million vacationers visited the nation in 2024, effectively wanting the federal government goal of seven.7 million. Photograph: Shutterstock
Whereas Tan acknowledged latest good points in spending and common size of keep, she mentioned these “small wins don’t conceal the larger fact: the [Philippines] continues to be not a precedence Asean vacation spot”. She described the nation as “exhausting” as a result of insufficient transport infrastructure and entry.
