The Philippines has expressed strong support for a proposed unified visa system among ASEAN member states, a move that could make traveling across Southeast Asia easier for international tourists while boosting economic gains in the region.
Speaking at the Skift Asia Forum 2025 held in Bangkok, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco endorsed the initiative, framing it as a significant step toward realizing ASEAN’s vision of being “a destination for every dream.”
“And the ASEAN visa certainly is part of that dream,” Frasco said in an Esquire report. “To be able to unify the ASEAN as a destination… is one that is aspirational for us in the Philippines.”
The proposed single visa, modeled after the European Union’s Schengen system, would allow travelers to explore up to nine ASEAN countries for 90 days with just one visa. Originally introduced by Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin in 2024, the concept has gained traction among Southeast Asian tourism leaders.
Frasco added that the Philippines is hopeful the topic will be revisited when the country hosts the ASEAN summit in 2026.
In 2024, ASEAN received over 121 million international visitors, still slightly below pre-pandemic levels but showing strong recovery. The Philippines accounted for 5.9 million of those arrivals and is targeting 8.4 million this year.
As part of its long-term tourism strategy, the Philippines is also expanding beyond traditional markets. While Chinese tourists made up a significant portion of arrivals in 2019, Frasco noted the shift towards new markets such as the Middle East, India, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, alongside sustained efforts to strengthen ties with South Korea, Japan, the US, and Europe.
