PHL tourism up 8% in first half

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday said tourism in the Philippines rose by almost 8% in the first half of 2025, compared to the same period last year.

In a statement, Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado said the bureau processed over 7.84 million arrivals from January to June 2025, compared to over 7.27 million in the first half of 2024.

Travelers from the US topped the list of arrivals (753,544), followed by those from South Korea (745,623), Japan (256,776), China (229,915), and Australia (188,082).

“This steady growth is proof that the Philippines remains a top destination in the region,” Mr. Viado said.

The government will continue to improve its programs to attract more visitors to the country, the BI noted. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana