The Department of Tourism (DOT) is ramping up its efforts to attract more Indian travelers to the Philippines, highlighting India as a promising outbound tourism market.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco shared that over five million Indian tourists visited ASEAN countries in 2024, yet only 79,000 of them chose the Philippines. DOT data showed that India ranked 13th in terms of foreign visitors to the country last year, with 78,995 arrivals—an improvement from 70,286 in 2023 and 51,542 in 2022, when Philippine borders reopened after the pandemic.
Frasco emphasized the need for a more liberalized visa issuance policy to tap into the growing Indian market. In October 2024, the Department of Foreign Affairs launched an electronic visa system for Indian nationals, a move expected to boost tourism numbers.
“With President Marcos’ directive to enhance e-travel for India, we are optimistic about capturing a significant share of this market,” Frasco was quoted as saying by Phil Star report.
