MANILA — After two long years of slashed tourism funds, hope finally returns to the industry.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) announced on Wednesday that the newly restored ₱1-billion promotions budget — reinstated by the Senate for the 2026 national budget — will be guided not by government alone, but by the people who know tourism best:
👉 the private sector.
This marks a major shift.
A new direction.
A “people-driven, industry-informed” approach that the DOT says will reshape how the Philippines sells itself to the world.
“This will be an industry-led budget.”
At the Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP) Annual Meeting in Pasay City, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco spoke with emotion and urgency.
She said the DOT is now eager — even hungry — to hear directly from tourism players:
Hotels.
Tour operators.
Travel agencies.
Airlines.
Local tourism groups.
“What will be different in 2026?” she asked.
Her answer was clear:
“This budget will be driven almost entirely by industry insight. Developed with — not only for — the private sector.”
She called it a “people’s budget.”
Frasco encouraged the tourism industry to speak up, submit ideas, demand what they need, and help build a promotions plan rooted in real-world experience.
“Be very, very vocal,” she told TCP members. “Your wish list matters. Your aspirations will guide our execution in 2026.”
A sector that keeps millions of Filipinos alive
Tourism is more than travel.
It is livelihood.
It is survival.
Almost 7 million Filipinos work directly in tourism, while 16 million more benefit indirectly — from transport workers to small family-owned shops.
In 2024 alone, the sector generated:
🌍 ₱3.86 trillion in tourism receipts
🌍 8.9% of the country’s GDP
The Philippines continues to rise as a favorite destination, and domestic tourism remains strong.
The World Travel & Tourism Council projects domestic spending to reach USD 70 billion in 2025.
More flights, better airports, stronger links
Connectivity is also entering a new era.
Improvements include:
✈️ Privatization of NAIA
✈️ Upgraded airports in Bohol, Iloilo, Laguindingan, and other key gateways
✈️ New and upcoming routes to San Francisco, Paris, Delhi, Brisbane, and Ho Chi Minh
Each new gateway means new travelers.
Each new route means new opportunities.
DOT projects to continue — and expand
The government is also strengthening community-level tourism through:
🏞️ Tourist Rest Areas
🏆 Tourism Champions Challenge (TCC)
In its first cycle, TCC funded ₱255 million worth of local tourism projects in 15 LGUs.
Nearly ₱400 million is set for release for the next round.
Tourism’s comeback story starts now
With its ₱1 billion promotions budget finally restored, the DOT says the next chapters will be written hand in hand with the private sector.
More voices.
More collaboration.
More Filipino destinations brought to the global spotlight.
And for millions whose lives depend on tourism —
this feels like the beginning of a much-needed, long-awaited comeback.
