Asia's most loved beach destination targets nearly 10 million foreign tourists by 2028

By Hoang Phong November 13, 2024 | 04:10 pm PT

A beach on the holiday island Boracay in the Philippines, April 25, 2018. Photo by Reuters

The Philippines, recently voted as Asia's leading beach destination, is projected to welcome 10 million foreign tourists in 2028, nearly doubling its current numbers, a report says.

The report by BMI Research, a division of market research firm Fitch Solutions, forecasts a 14.8% average annual growth rate in Philippine tourist arrivals, aiming to reach approximately 9.7 million visitors by 2028.

However, the report also noted that tourist numbers may only reach six million by the end of this year as the sector continues to recover from the Covid pandemic.

Data from the Philippines' Department of Tourism shows that arrivals from January to October increased by 10% year-on-year to 4.5 million but still represent just 66.5% of pre-pandemic levels, Business World Online reported.

An earlier report from Bank of America highlighted that the recovery of the Philippine tourism sector has been hindered by a drop in Chinese tourists, with current arrivals from China at only 20-30% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the Inquirer.

Major airlines in the Philippines have reduced direct flights to China due to low demand from Chinese tourists.

Before the pandemic, China was the Philippines' second-largest tourist market, with over 1.7 million visitors in 2019. However, Chinese tourist numbers remain low, with only 263,000 arrivals in 2023 and 199,000 in the first half of this year.

In September, the Philippines was named "Asia's Leading Beach Destination" at the World Travel Awards. Beach tourism is a significant contributor to the Philippine economy, driven by the country’s tropical climate and its geography, featuring over 7,000 islands.