DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM (DOT) WELCOMES MEASURES TO BOOST PHILIPPINE TOURISM

Manila, Philippines – The Department of Tourism (DOT) welcomes the approval by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. of measures aimed at enhancing the Philippine tourism industry discussed during the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Meeting chaired by President Marcos, Jr. and attended by Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, other members of the Cabinet, and members of PSAC.
“The DOT welcomes support for its advocacy since the beginning of the Marcos Administration to liberalize visa policies coming into and staying in the Philippines especially that this is one of the biggest hurdles towards attracting international visitors, and is a competitive edge that nearly all of our ASEAN neighbors have already implemented. The Philippines needs to be able to run an electronic visa system that removes inconvenience and favors ease of access, with the right security measures in place. We welcome the President’s directive to the Department of Foreign Affairs to carry this out at the soonest possible time as the difficulty of entry of obtaining visas has already heavily affected and continues to be one of the biggest challenges to our international arrivals targets. We also welcome the President’s support for extending the length of stay for AJACS (American, Japanese, Australian, Canadian, and Schengen countries) and AJACSUK (American, Japanese, Australian, Canadian, Schengen countries, Singapore, and United Kingdom) visa holders from 7 to 30 days as this will increase tourism spending and redound to the benefit of our local businesses and tourism stakeholders with more revenues spent at our destinations,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco.
Earlier in July of this year, the Department of Tourism welcomed a significant step to visa liberalization with the launch of the Cruise Visa Waiver Program. This collaboration between the Department of Tourism, the Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the Department of Justice (DOJ), is expected to significantly boost international cruise tourism arrivals to the country.
The DOT also welcomes the President’s directive to introduce technological innovations and digitalization in the processes of the Bureau of Immigration, incorporating biometric technologies such as facial recognition and fingerprint scanning to streamline arrivals and departures as these are key objectives to improve tourist touchpoints and ensure seamless entry under the National Tourism Development Plan 2023-2028.
“The Department of Tourism is steadfast in its commitment to advancing the President’s vision for a dynamic tourism sector that fosters growth, creates jobs, and generates opportunities for all Filipinos. We also thank the PSAC for working with us to push for tourism-oriented policies that will increase the global competitiveness of the Philippines,” added Secretary Frasco.
“We remain deeply committed to strengthening our tourism sector, in line with the President’s long-term vision for a thriving and inclusive economy. Together with our partners in government and the private sector, we will continue to champion the Philippines as a leading destination, offering rich experiences that benefit both visitors and the Filipino people,” Secretary Frasco emphasized.
-30-

The post DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM (DOT) WELCOMES MEASURES TO BOOST PHILIPPINE TOURISM appeared first on Love the Philippines! Welcome to the DOT’s Corporate Site.