Korea tops tourist arrivals in CV, Cebu remains as most visited spot

Tourists are seen visiting the Sto. Niño de Cebu-Mactan Parish in Barangay Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City on a Sunday. | photo by Niña Mae Oliverio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu has always been proud to be one of the top tourist destinations in the Philippines. 

It is also the province that most of the tourists visit in Central Visayas. 

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On Tuesday, March 4, the Department of Tourism (DOT-7) revealed the top 10 tourist arrivals in the Region for 2024, with Koreans topping the list. 

The top 10 tourist arrivals in Region 7.

1. Korea

2. USA

3. Japan

4. China

5. Taiwan

6. Australia

7. Germany

8. United Kingdom

9. France

10. Canada

Korea has the highest percentage of share in the market of Region 7 with 41.17 percent, the USA has 9.39 percent, Japan 9.08 percent, China 5.09 percent, Taiwan 3.55 percent, Australia 2.88 percent, Germany 2.38 percent, France 2.18 percent, United Kingdom 2.14 percent, and Canada 1.68 percent. 

From January to December 2024, there were a total of 7,517,450 overnight arrivals which was 37.03 percent higher than 2023 which recorded 5,485,943. 

Of the number, 5,011,851 were domestic and 2,498,042 are foreign; and 7,575 from overseas. The average duration of tourist stays in 2024 was recorded at 11 overnights compared to 9 nights in 2019. 

Cebu remains the most-visited province in Central Visayas. Of the total number of overnight arrivals, 5,077,727 are recorded in Cebu, 1,369,945 in Bohol, 828,249 in Negros Oriental, and 241,529 in Siquijor. 

As to the share distribution of arrivals in the region, Cebu has 67.50 percent share, Bohol 18.22 percent, Negros Oriental 11.01 percent, and 3.21 percent in Siquijor. 

“It’s still Bohol and Cebu (most visited provinces), that is really the entry. As you can see we have flights direct from Incheon to Cebu…This is by accommodation survey overnight stay,” DOT-7 Judy Dela Cruz Gabato said in a news forum on Tuesday.

According to the data from Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), a total of 10,201,113 passengers were accommodated for domestic and international flights from January to November 2024.

It surpassed the passenger volume in 2023 which recorded a total of 10,059,361 passengers. 

As summer season gets near, more tourists are expected to visit Cebu in the coming months. 

“We make sure we capacitate to our Tourism Industry Skills program to make sure that these communities, our stakeholders, could deliver the Philippine brand of services (and) continuous collaboration with the local government units and the tourism offices,” Gabato said. | with a report from Morexette Marie Erram, CDN Digital Senior Multimedia Reporter