The Philippines has sent its largest tourism business mission to China since pandemic as it doubles down on efforts to attract more Chinese travelers into the country.

The Philippine Tourism Industry Business Mission 2026, led by the Department of Tourism (DOT), brought together 35 Philippine travel-related companies and around 280 Chinese travel agencies.

The Philippine Embassy in Beijing on Wednesday said the delegation will be holding business-to-business meetings with Chinese stakeholders in Beijing, Chengdu, and Guangzhou.

At the mission’s stop in Beijing on May 12, Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime FlorCruz said the event’s strong turnout sends a signal that “despite the challenges and uncertainties of recent years, there remains tremendous interest, confidence, and goodwill between the Philippine and Chinese tourism industries.”

“We are already seeing encouraging momentum. Chinese tourist arrivals to the Philippines have been rising significantly, helped in part by the Philippines’ visa-free policy for Chinese tourists introduced last January,” he said, adding that the Philippines is well-positioned to meet the changing preferences of the Chinese market.

Beyond leisure, the envoy said tourism could serve as bridge to build goodwill and familiarity between Filipino and Chinese people.

“The more our peoples see each other’s sights and sounds, the more they meet each other face-to-face, the more opportunities we create for understanding. And mutual understanding matters especially in times of uncertainty,” he said.

DOT Assistant Secretary Sharlene Zabala-Batin, who is part of the mission, confirmed that this is the DOT’s largest tourism business mission to China in terms of the participating stakeholders and coverage since the pandemic broke out in 2019.

Beijing-based Tourism Attaché Ireneo Reyes, who also spoke at the meeting, told Chinese travel firms that the Philippines is ready to welcome more Chinese visitors.

The business mission featured presentations on the Philippines’ diverse tourism offerings, including Boracay, Cebu, Palawan, and Manila, as well as tourism products such as diving; culture and heritage; English language learning; Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE); sun-and-sea tourism; nature-based travel; and cruise tourism.

Business matching sessions and networking activities also provided a platform for Philippine and Chinese stakeholders to discuss cooperation opportunities, market strategies, service improvements, and tourism product development.

New direct routes between China and the Philippines were launched this year, including Chongqing-Manila and Quanzhou-Cebu, with more additional and charter flights in the pipeline, according to the envoy.

Latest DOT data show that arrivals from China reached 150,708 in January to April 2026 from 93,186 recorded in the same period last year.

China currently ranks as the Philippines’ fourth largest source of foreign visitors. (PNA)