The Department of Tourism (DOT) logged 4.11 million foreign arrivals in the first eight months of 2026, higher by 3.7 percent compared with the same period last year.
The United States emerged as the Philippines’ leading market with 818,318 arrivals, followed by South Korea with 727,379, Japan with 350,191; China with 310,088; and Australia with 234,156.
Canada secured the sixth spot with 231,972 arrivals, trailed by Taiwan (154,957), the United Kingdom (132,370), Singapore (126,812), and India (77,883).
The DOT aims to beat last year’s performance, setting its sights on pulling in between 6.4 million and 6.8 million international visitors—with an ultimate goal of hitting at least 7 million arrivals by the end of the year.
To achieve the target, DOT Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said they are intensifying their branding and promotions to attract more tourists in its key source markets.
The agency is actively negotiating with commercial airlines to launch new chartered flight routes connecting the Philippines directly with secondary cities in South Korea and China.
In November, the DOT will sign a contract with a creative agency to amplify international marketing and boost the nation’s global footprint.
DOT Assistant Secretary Ren Sapitan said while the “Love the Philippines” branding remains firmly in place, the campaign strategy is undergoing a creative refresh to inject a “more fun and joyful” tone into the promotions.IMT
