Tourism up 17 percent in 2010

International visitor arrivals in the Philippines rose 17 percent year-on-year in 2010, mirroring the growth in tourism in Asia during the year and marking a strong rebound from the global financial crisis that hit the region in 2008 and 2009.  On a monthly basis, December recorded the highest number of tourists at 393,585.

Tourism Secretary Albert Lim said foreign visitor arrivals hit 3.52 million in 2010, topping the previous record or 3.3 million in 2008.  This was led by 48.7 percent growth in arrivals from Korea which reached 740,622 and represented a fifth of the total.

International tourism receipts rose 11.3 percent to US$2.49 billion in 2010 from US$ 2.23 billion in 2009.  Average daily expenditure of foreign tourists improved 10.8 percent to US$83.93, while their average length of stay in the country stood at eight nights.  Per capita expenditure of visitor in 2010 was estimated at US$672.28.