Tourism

Tourism in the Philippines has seen considerable growth in recent years, with over 7000 islands and an abundance of rich cultural traditions making the archipelago a regionally competitive destination. The closure of popular destination Boracay for six months in 2018 shone a light on other destinations and allowed the sector to diversify its offerings to cater to a wider array of tourists, as well as boost the country’s reputation for being sustainable and environmentally aware. The government’s goal of attracting 12m tourists per year by 2022 will be aided by the emergence of new coastal and island destinations, combined with the growth of medical tourism, cruise tourism, and the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions segment. This chapter also contains interviews with Alan Peter Cayetano, Chairman, Philippines South-east Asian Games Organising Committee; and Pocholo D Paragas, COO, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.