Asia's leading beach destination welcomes 2.54 million foreign visitors in five months

By Hoang Vu July 4, 2025 | 10:00 pm PT

Tourists arrive at the Philippine island of Boracay. Photo by AFP

The Philippines received 2.54 million foreign visitors in the first five months of this year, down 1.2% from the same period last year, lagging behind its regional neighbors.

South Korea remained the largest source market with 552,925 visitors, despite a 19% year-on-year drop, Business Mirror reported.

A string of incidents involving the deaths of South Korean tourists has sparked safety concerns about traveling to the Philippines.

The U.S. ranked second with 442,756 visitors, marking a 9.67% increase from the previous year, followed by Japan, China, and Australia.

Foreign visitor numbers to the Philippines were significantly lower than those of neighboring countries.

Thailand recorded 14.3 million foreign arrivals between January and May, while Vietnam welcomed 9.2 million. Singapore received over 7 million visitors, and Indonesia followed with 5.63 million.

The Philippines, boasting over 36,000 kilometers of coastline, was named "Asia's Leading Beach Destination" at the 2024 World Travel Awards.

The country has set a target of 8.4 million foreign arrivals in 2025, representing a more than 55% increase from the 5.4 million recorded last year.