The Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT) has unveiled plans to ramp up its marketing efforts in South Korea in order to help boost visitation from its top source visitor market following a significant decline in 2025.
As reported by Inside Asian Gaming, arrivals from Korea fell by 18.5% last year to 1,346,301 – only slightly more than the 1,323,142 arrivals from the United States.
In a statement, the DOT said its South Korea foreign office is strengthening initiatives to expand the market’s travel demand through integrated marketing strategies, including joint promotions with airlines and major travel agencies, urban outdoor advertising and digital campaigns.
The DOT Korea has, it explained, collaborated with major airlines and 15 major South Korean travel agencies to promote the Philippines by discounted airfares and region-specific promotional packages primarily to key destinations Manila, Cebu, Bohol, Boracay and Clark.
It will also participate in major travel and tourism exhibitions, such as the Seoul International Travel Fair (SITF) and the Korea International Boat Show (KIBS), as well as several underwater sports expositions, to promote the Philippines’ marine, diving and golf experiences.
Specifically, the DOT said it is focusing its efforts on “experiential tourism and multi-destination travel” including an expansion of its golf tourism portfolio in Clark to lure more foreign golfers. Clark is home to multiple world-class golf course as well as Hann Reserve, which recently launched the first of three golf course that will stand as a major tourism attraction once fully built out in the coming years.
“South Korea remains one of the Philippines’ most vital and valued tourism markets,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco. “The enduring friendship between our two nations is reflected not only in our shared history and cultural exchanges but also in the millions of South Korean travelers who choose the Philippines as their preferred destination year after year.
“Their deep appreciation for our pristine beaches, world-class dive sites, vibrant festivals, and the warmth and hospitality of the Filipino people has significantly contributed to the growth and resilience of our tourism industry.”
The DOT said the recovery rate of the South Korean market has now reached 62.9% compared to 2019 levels, reaffirming the Korean market’s “strong and resilient structural demand base”.
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