American travelers have claimed the position long held by South Koreans as the largest group of foreign visitors to the Philippines, according to figures the Department of Tourism made public yesterday.
Between January and May, arrivals from the United States reached 531,859, accounting for 19.40 percent of all foreign visitors. South Korea trailed at 501,789, or 18.31 percent of the total.
The shift reflects diverging trajectories for the two markets. American arrivals climbed 7.07 percent from the 496,742 recorded a year earlier. South Korean numbers moved the opposite way, falling 9.56 percent from 554,855 in 2025.
Several factors appear to have weighed on Korean travel. The South Korean embassy issued advisories in 2025 urging its nationals to scale back outdoor activities in the country over security concerns. Crime incidents targeting Korean visitors have coincided with a steady erosion of what had for years been the Philippines’ leading source market.
China, another major market, also saw a sizable decline, attributed to safety worries among its travelers as well as the ongoing maritime dispute between Beijing and Manila.
Rounding out the top five sources were Japan at 8.26 percent, China at 6.84 percent and Canada at 6.06 percent.
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay signaled that the department intends to deepen ties with American businesses and industry players, pursuing investment and partnerships aimed at keeping demand strong.
Overall, the country drew 7.51 percent more international visitors over the five-month stretch than in the comparable period.
