Best Posts in Thread: Philippines misses it's tourist target yet again

The department of tourism will fall short of the expected 10 million foreign tourist arrivals this year by five million, although the country gained more revenues from a lesser number of foreign tourist arrivals, according to Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez.

The Tourism secretary made the disclosure when his agency sought congressional approval of the agency’s proposed P3.6 billion budget for 2016.

Jimenez said there were 4.8 million foreign tourists who visited the country from January to June 2015, while domestic tourist arrivals reached 54 million. And while the agency expects an upward trend, Jimenez conceded that the peak figure for foreign tourist arrivals could only reach five million.

“I take personal responsibility for my optimism [of putting the target at 10 million], but the foreign tourist arrivals is not the sole determinant of success. We also have to look at the products of these arrivals: the revenue and the employment that we generate,” Jimenez said in response to the inquiry of Rep. Lito Atienza of Buhay Hayaang Yumabong party-list on why the Tourism agency missed its target so bad. PH falls short of foreign tourist arrivals target by five million | The Manila Times Online