16 February 2014 Tel Aviv, State of Israel. The Philippines hosted a total of 4.7 M foreign tourists in 2013, up by almost 10% compared to 4.2M in 2012, according to the Department of Tourism in its latest statement this month.
The first and second quarters of the year plus November to December delivered the most number of tourist arrivals according to the same report. DOT noted that the 4.7M arrival figure translated into revenues amounting to US$4.40 billion, equivalent to Php 186.15 billion, also up by 15.1% compared to 2012 tally.
Korea, the US, Japan, China and Australia were 2013's top tourism markets of the Philippines, which also cemented the position of East Asia as the biggest contributor to this all-time high figure, followed closely by the ASEAN.
In the Middle East, Israel is the third biggest tourist market (7,675) after Saudi Arabia (38,969) and UAE (15,155), edging out Kuwait for the third spot in the region. Israel also posted the healthiest double-digit growth of 30.2% followed by Saudi Arabia (29.7%) and UAE (19.48%).
In the Eastern Mediterranean Europe where Israel is grouped with Turkey, Israeli tourist arrival figure is more than twice the size of the latter (3,731).
In the over-all rankings of double-digit tourist arrivals in 2013, Israel is ranked 6th fastest growing market of the Philippines in the world after China, Brunei, Poland and Colombia, although in the same cluster, Israel is ranked third in terms of actual tourist arrivals after China and Brunei.
Left photo: Ambassador Calonge, together with Fisher, hands the Honorary Chamber of Tourism Membership Certificate
to Fostanes. Right photo: flyeast team pose with Ambassador Calonge and Fostanes in the Philippine Booth.
The 2013 full year figure of 7,675 represents 130% of the full 2012 figure (5,895); 154% of the full 2011 figure (4,990); and 170% of the full 2010 figure (4,525).
In the pipeline for this year's tourism promotion is the long-proposed Familiarization Tour to the Philippines of Israeli VIPs, celebrities and journalists. The Familiarization Tour, slated in May, comes right before the expected DOT Road Show which would introduce to the Israeli market the Manila-Tel Aviv direct flights of Philippine carriers later this year. --END--