Latest news with #ChristinaFrasco
Arab News
18-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Philippines records surge in tourists from Middle East
MANILA: The Philippines has recorded significant growth in tourists from the Middle East, the Department of Tourism said on Sunday, following various campaigns to attract more travelers from the region. Tourism is a key sector for the Philippines, and its government has lately been trying to attract more visitors from the Middle East by creating Muslim-friendly destinations and ensuring that they have access to halal products and services. Those efforts, part of the Philippines' move to diversify its economy away from dependency in the declining Chinese market, have led to a surge in international tourism arrivals from countries in the Middle East and the Gulf Cooperation Council, Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said. 'We are targeting markets such as the Middle East and the GCC, as well as India,' she said in a statement. 'Because of our efforts to diversify, we are seeing, for example, from the Middle East and the GCC, an average of no less than 500 to 800 percent growth rate in terms of international tourism arrivals.' The Philippines' tourism sector has been recovering since the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced most tourism destinations in the country to shut down and resulted in a decline of foreign arrivals by more than 80 percent compared to 2019 numbers. As tourism started to rebound, the Middle Eastern market was among the ones showing 'promising signs of recovery' last year, a Department of Tourism report said. The UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain are among the countries showing a positive recovery rate, 'signifying a steady return of visitors from the Gulf region,' according to the report. In 2024, the Philippines was recognized as an Emerging Muslim-friendly non-Organization of Islamic Cooperation Destination by the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index. The index is an annual report benchmarking destinations in the Muslim travel market. The archipelagic country known for its white-sand beaches, diving spots and rich culture, also won the award in 2023 and has since boosted efforts to attract visitors from the Middle East. Last year, it launched a beach for Muslim women travelers in Boracay, the country's top resort island and one of the world's most popular. The Department of Tourism also partnered with Emirates Airlines in April to jointly promote the Philippines, targeting the Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and European markets. 'The beauty of coming to the Philippines is that it is a very diversified destination. We are able to cater to any type of traveler, whether you are a solo traveler, a couple, (or) a family,' Frasco said. 'With the number of islands that we have and the readiness of these destinations, then we are excited to welcome people of all nationalities.'
GMA Network
18-05-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
DOT seeks establishment of ASEAN visa
The Department of Tourism (DOT) has expressed interest in the possible establishment of a visa system for member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). During the SKIFT Asia Forum 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand last Thursday, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the proposal to have an ASEAN visa similar to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) visa in the Middle East and the Schengen visa in Europe, is aligned with the ASEAN tourism tagline: 'A destination for every dream.' '[T]he ASEAN visa certainly is part of that dream. To be able to unify the ASEAN as a destination in terms of the strength of its natural assets, its unparalleled warmth and hospitality as a people, and as a culture, and in terms of the quality of experiences that we are able to offer, is one that is aspirational for us in the Philippines,' Frasco said. 'And as a Minister of Tourism, it is a proposition that I have tried to make at every opportunity. I am glad to hear similar interest from our fellow ASEAN nations, and we are very hopeful that the subject matter will again come up as the Philippines hosts the ASEAN in 2026,' she added. \ Frasco also underscored the importance of regional unity while maintaining a healthy competition with fellow Southeast Asian countries. 'Competition is always very healthy, but collaboration is healthier in a sense that ASEAN coming together to work as a force for good for the world would really benefit all of our countries,' she said. President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. previously signed an administrative order stating that it was agreed in September 2023 by the regional bloc that the Philippines will be the chairman of the ASEAN and hold its summit meetings in 2026. Frasco also acknowledged a decline in Chinese visitor arrivals to the Philippines in recent years 'due to various factors.' Despite this, she said that the DOT has learned to attract other potential sources of tourism for the country. 'The lesson that we learned from that is to really be able to diversify our dependency into other markets as well,' the DOT chief said. "And so now, we are targeting markets such as the Middle East and the GCC, as well as India, and of course, to strengthen further our source markets from South Korea, Japan, the United States, as well as Europe,' she added. —Giselle Ombay/RF, GMA Integrated News
Euronews
13-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
The Philippines is introducing a digital nomad visa. Are you eligible?
If you've dreamed of living and working in one of the many paradisiacal destinations in the Philippines, now might be your chance to make that dream a reality. The country is launching a new digital nomad visa, which will allow remote workers to stay for up to two years. President Bongbong Marcos announced the upcoming programme at the end of April. 'To further boost tourism and economy in the country, there is a need to establish a legal framework to facilitate the entry of digital nomads in the country, or foreign nationals who desire to temporarily stay in the Philippines while engaging in remote work activities for overseas employers or clients," he said. The initiative aims to boost tourism and strengthen the Philippine economy. Here's everything we know about the Philippines' digital nomad visa so far. Following the signing of the executive order by the president, the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is now able to issue digital nomad visas. These are available to qualifying non-immigrant foreigners for an initial period of one year, with the option to renew for a second year. To qualify for the visa, applicants must: Additionally, applicants cannot be employed within the Philippines and must not pose any security threat to the nation. With 7,600 islands fringed with pristine beaches, energetic cities like Manila, and renowned surf spots like Siargao, the country offers plenty of attractive options for remote workers. 'With our unparalleled natural beauty, vibrant culture, and the warmth of the Filipino people, the Philippines stands ready to welcome digital nomads to travel, work, and thrive across our islands,' Philippine tourism secretary Christina Frasco told the Philippines News Agency. While applications aren't yet open, the programme is expected to launch in the coming months. The Philippines joins other popular destinations like South Korea, Italy, Japan, and Thailand in offering specialised visas for digital nomads. Expedia Group said Friday that reduced travel demand in the United States led to its weaker-than-expected revenue in the first quarter, and Bank of America said credit card transactions showed spending on flights and lodging kept falling last month. The two reports add to growing indications that the US travel and tourism industry may see its first slowdown since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic fuelled a period of 'revenge travel' that turned into sustained interest in getting away. Expedia, which owns accommodation reservation platforms and VRBO as well as an eponymous online travel agency, was the latest American company to report slowing business with both international visitors and domestic travellers. Airbnb and Hilton noted the same trends last week in their quarterly earnings reports. Most major US airlines have said they plan to reduce scheduled flights, citing a decline in economy passengers booking leisure trips. The US Travel Association has said that economic uncertainty and anxiety over President Donald Trump's tariffs may explain the pullback. In April, Americans' confidence in the economy slumped for a fifth straight month to the lowest level since the onset of the pandemic. Bank of America said Friday that its credit card holders were willing to spend on 'nice to have' services like eating at restaurants in March and April, but 'bigger ticket discretionary outlays on airfare and lodging continued to decline, possibly due to declining consumer confidence and worries about the economic outlook.' Abroad, anger about the tariffs as well as concern about tourist detentions at the border have made citizens of some other countries less interested in travelling to the US, tourism industry experts say. The US government said last month that 7.1 million visitors entered the US from overseas this year as of the end of March, 3.3 per cent fewer than during the first three months of 2024. The numbers did not include land crossings from Mexico or travel from Canada, where citizens have expressed indignation over Trump's remarks about making their country the 51st state. Both US and Canadian government data have shown steep declines in border crossings from Canada. Expedia Chief Financial Officer Scott Schenkel said that while the net value of the travel company's bookings into the US fell 7 per cent in the January-March period, bookings to the US from Canada were down nearly 30 per cent. In a conference call with investors on Friday, Expedia CEO Ariane Gorin said demand for US travel was lower in April than in March. 'We're still continuing to see pressure on travel into the US, but we've also seen some rebalancing,' Gorin said. 'Europeans are travelling less to the US, but more to Latin America.' Airbnb said last week that foreign travel to the US makes up only 2 to 3 per cent of its business. But within that category, it's seeing declining interest in the US as a destination. 'I think Canada is the most obvious example, where we see Canadians are travelling at a much lower rate to the US but they're travelling more domestically, they are traveling to Mexico, they are going to Brazil, they're going to France, they're going to Japan,' Airbnb Chief Financial Officer Ellie Mertz said in a conference call with investors. Hilton President and CEO Christopher Nassetta said the company saw international travel to its US hotels fall throughout the first quarter, particularly from Canada and Mexico. But Nassetta said he remained optimistic for the second half of this year. 'My own belief is you will see some of — if not a lot of — that uncertainty wane over the next couple of quarters, and that will allow the underlying strength of the economy to shine through again,' he said.
Time Out
07-05-2025
- Business
- Time Out
The Philippines is finally launching a digital nomad visa – here's how to get one
A handful of Asian countries have been added to the ever-growing list of destinations offering digital nomad visas, including Japan, Thailand and South Korea – and now, finally, the island paradise of the Philippines is set to join them. According to Forbes, Philippines ' President Ferdinand Marcos Junior has just approved the launch of a digital nomad visa for the country, which will allow international remote workers to stay in the Philippines for up to a year, with the chance to renew for another. 'With our unparalleled natural beauty, vibrant culture, and the warmth of the Filipino people, the Philippines stands ready to welcome digital nomads to travel, work, and thrive across our islands,' said Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco to the . She went on to say that granting remote workers more time to stay longer in the country will benefit the Filipino economy and help mitigate seasonal fluctuations in spending, such as in the off-peak seasons. So, what do you need to be eligible for a digital nomad visa in the Philippines? Well, you must be over 18 to apply, and have health insurance and no criminal record. It also looks like you'll need to 'prove sufficient income generated outside the Philippines', but the exact figure is yet to be confirmed. Keen to pack up for a life in the tropics? Keep an eye on this page for updates. Live that digital nomad life
