The Department of Tourism (DOT) is shifting its strategy from focusing mainly on visitor arrivals to attracting long-term investments, improving infrastructure and creating more tourism-related livelihoods, Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said Monday.

Angara-Mathay said the agency is prioritizing investment readiness, seamless connectivity and inclusive economic growth as it prepares for World Tourism Day and National Tourism Month.

“We want to be defined as an agency that’s proactively taking the lead in tourism readiness,” she said. “This means strengthening our airports and gateways, improving our physical tourism infrastructure, and expanding air connectivity, so our visitors can move seamlessly across the country.”

Tourism contributed 8.1 percent to the Philippine economy in 2025, generating PHP2.27 trillion in Tourism Direct Gross Value Added and supporting 7.7 million jobs, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The DOT is working with the Department of Transportation and private-sector partners to improve airport gateways, add air and sea routes, and expand flights to strategic and emerging markets.

Inbound direct international air seats reached 7.78 million from Jan. 1 to May 19, 2026, up 8.31 percent from the same period last year.

Chinese arrivals rose 69.15 percent to about 310,000 during the period, based on eTravel data, the DOT said.

New and resumed long-haul services now link Manila and Cebu directly with San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver and Paris.

Regional capacity has also expanded from Cebu, Clark, Iloilo, Bohol, Kalibo, Caticlan and Davao to key Asian destinations.

An air service agreement with Türkiye doubled weekly Manila-Istanbul flights from seven to 14 and granted unlimited frequency rights to secondary gateways including Cebu, Clark and Davao.

The DOT is also working with the Department of Foreign Affairs on visa reforms, including expanding visa-free entry for Chinese tourists to additional ports of entry.

The agency has signed bilateral tourism cooperation agreements with Viet Nam, Colombia, Canada, Brazil and Chile and is pursuing investment partnerships with foreign companies.

Angara-Mathay has launched the Tourism Investment Readiness Program and Tourism Investment Accountability Program.

The DOT also established a Japan Tourism Investment and Business Development Team following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Tokyo in May.

The agency is working with Japanese companies including Uniqlo, Nitori, Marubeni and Sojitz on potential investments in retail, medical tourism and telecommunications infrastructure in underserved destinations.

For local businesses, the DOT has partnered with digital and financial platforms to improve market access, cashless payments and financial literacy among micro, small and medium enterprises.

The agency is also continuing its domestic tourism campaign, “Discover More to Love,” a subcampaign of “Love the Philippines.”

It said the campaign generated PHP1.79 million in hotel revenues and more than 203,000 domestic flight sales in its first 100 days.

The DOT has designated P-pop groups BINI and SB19 as tourism ambassadors and plans to expand digital marketing in 2027, with 70 percent of its marketing budget earmarked for digital placements targeting key and emerging markets.

The agency is also updating tourism accreditation standards and developing new guidelines for emerging sectors, including campgrounds and domestic cruise ships.

Workforce programs are being aligned with the Philippine Qualifications Framework, while the “Trabaho, Turismo, Asenso!” job fairs have connected more than 3,300 employers offering 260,000 vacancies since 2022, the DOT said.

The department is also developing an interactive tourism data dashboard for integration into the government’s eGov app and working with the Philippine National Police and Department of Information and Communications Technology to improve tourist safety and internet access at tourist destinations.

The upcoming 49th ASEAN Leaders’ Summit will provide an opportunity to showcase the Philippines as a tourism and investment destination, Angara-Mathay said.

“We have the destinations, the people, and the stories; now we must give them the global platform and investment they deserve,” she said. (PNA)