The Philippines is prepared to handle a surge in tourist visa applications from China, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Saturday.
Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Angelica Escalona stressed that current visa requirements are not meant to deter Chinese travelers but to ensure only legitimate applicants are granted entry.
“(They) are intended precisely to assist the country in ensuring that legitimate travelers are given visas to enter the Philippines,” Escalona said.
She added that all Philippine Foreign Service Posts are currently meeting demand and are ready to process more applications if needed.
The statement came after Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco admitted during a House budget hearing that the country fell short of its 2024 target of 7.7 million foreign visitors. She cited several factors, including the suspension of the e-Visa program for the Chinese market, which she said could have added 2 million more arrivals.
The DFA declined to confirm whether there are plans to resume the e-Visa system but assured that it continues to coordinate with the Department of Tourism (DOT), other agencies, and the private sector to boost visitor arrivals.
“In line with its economic diplomacy mandate, the DFA shares the vision of the DOT in enhancing tourist arrivals and strengthening the tourism industry,” Escalona said.
From January to August, arrivals from China dropped 24.4 percent to 182,228 compared with 241,041 during the same period last year. Before the pandemic, China was the Philippines’ second-biggest source of visitors with 1.7 million arrivals in 2019, trailing only South Korea’s 1.9 million. Today, China has fallen to fifth place.