State Dining Room, Malacañan Palace
May 16, 2023
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. presided over a sectoral meeting on the proposed National Tourism Development Plan 2023-2028 at the State Dining Room in Malacañan Palace.
The National Tourism Development Plan 2023-2028 seeks to establish a Philippine tourism industry anchored on Filipino culture, heritage and identity which aims to be sustainable, resilient and competitive in order to transform the country as a tourism powerhouse.
Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco conveyed her gratitude to the President for setting the tone in the tourism industry by articulating that tourism is a priority early on in his Administration.
In 2022, the country recorded 2.65 million international arrivals resulting to PhP1.784 trillion estimated tourism receipts and more importantly, 5.2 million tourism-related employment for Filipinos.
From January to 15 May 2023, the country has over two (2) million tourist arrivals, already exceeding the initial target of 1.7 million set by the DOT.
Secretary Frasco presented the objectives of the proposed National Tourism Development Plan 2023-2028 which is a product of consultation with stakeholders in the tourism value chain. The seven (7) objectives are the following: improvement of tourism infrastructure and accessibility; cohesive and comprehensive digitalization and connectivity; enhancement of overall tourist experience; equalization of tourism product development and promotion; diversification of the tourism portfolio through multidimensional tourism; maximization of domestic and international tourism; and, strengthening tourism governance through close collaborations with national and local stakeholders.
She also tackled the challenges confronting the Philippines as a tourism destination, the three (3) strategies to achieve the objectives namely, connectivity, convenience and (e)quality, as well as the tourism industry baseline targets. Domestic tourism is projected to recover this year while international tourism will reach its target next year.
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