MANILA — A fresh wave of hope is rising in the Philippines’ tourism sector.
Starting this November, the country will once again open its e-Visa system for travelers from China — a move Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco believes will help bring back thousands of visitors in the next six months.
She admits the road to recovery has been long.
The suspension of e-Visa services hit hard.
Many opportunities were lost.
But now, the rebuilding begins.
“With the e-Visa being resumed only in November, it’s really a lot of market preparation to rebuild what has been lost,” Frasco shared, speaking at the launch of Travelogue for Muslim-Friendly Philippines in Makati City.
Her expectations are realistic — and determined.
Real results, she said, will likely be felt next year.
Like any big comeback, it takes time.
Marketing campaigns need at least six months before conversions turn into real arrivals.
To speed things up, the Department of Tourism is pushing for more chartered flights from China to Philippine destinations. It’s also ramping up promotions to attract both leisure seekers and business travelers.
Even during the e-Visa suspension, Frasco said their marketing push in China never stopped.
Now that the doors are opening again, the DOT is aligning efforts with airlines, private stakeholders, and the Tourism Promotions Board — all working to welcome more tourists from China next year.
Before the pandemic, China was the Philippines’ second-largest tourism market with 1.7 million visitors in 2019 — just behind South Korea.
This year has seen signs of life, but still far from old numbers.
From January to September 2025, the Philippines recorded 203,923 Chinese arrivals.
The optimism is clear — and the mission is solid:
Rebuild.
Reconnect.
Bring travelers back to the Philippines’ shores.
And with the e-Visa returning, the country is taking a bold step toward a stronger tourism comeback.
