Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said he believes that international travel and tourism has bounced back after the pandemic.

Tansingco shared that the agency has recorded 12.6 million arrivals from January to December 2023. The number is more than double the 6.1 million arrivals recorded in 2022.

Topping the list of foreign arrivals are South Koreans with 1,186,135 travelers, followed by Americans with 1,186,135 million arrivals, and the Chinese with 417,128 travelers.

Also in the top arrivals list are the Japanese with 358,534 arrivals, followed by Australians with 302,177 inbound travelers.

Other nationalities that topped the list are Canadians, Taiwanese, British, Indians, and Malaysians.

The BI said that the month of December had the highest number of arrivals, with 1.36 million travelers flocking the Philippines.

The number almost equals December 2019 before the pandemic, which is saw 1.7 million arrivals.

“The figures we are seeing is a good sign. It shows that revenge travel is real, and that international travel and tourism has regained its momentum after the worldwide lockdowns,” he stated.

Tansingco said that they project the numbers to be higher in 2024, and expect around 15 million arrivals for the year. BI News