00:00In 2019, the total number of tourist arrivals to the country hit a little over 8 million
00:05for the year.
00:07This year, tourist arrivals for January alone went over the million mark, which is 51 percent
00:12more than for the same period in Banner Year 2019.
00:15With such results, posted early this year, boosted by tax breaks for tourists and aggressive
00:20print and TV ad campaign, the record for 2019 is bound to fall by much as our Clay Silpardilla
00:27reports.
00:31This is the first time Emilia and Elina visited the Philippines from Germany.
00:36They say this won't be their last with more visits to follow.
00:40We choose Philippines because the people are really, really kind, the nature is beautiful.
00:47It would like always been very good.
00:50I never had, I was never afraid or anything in the Philippines.
00:54According to Malacanang, from January to February 2025, tourist arrivals in the Philippines
01:01ballooned to more than a million.
01:03The country's tourism revenue surged past 65 billion pesos last January.
01:09This is higher than 43 billion pesos recorded in the same month of 2019 before the pandemic.
01:16Malacanang says this reflects the country's peace and order status and state of security.
01:22If peace and order is not good in the Philippines, it is more likely for tourists to come to us.
01:30But because the number of tourists coming to us is increasing, our pre-COVID time has already been exceeded.
01:40So it means that tourists who come to our country are not afraid.
01:45The Palace attributes this to the Bureau of Immigration Services that are now faster and
01:50more accessible.
01:51In addition, last December, the VAT Refund for Non-Resident Tourists Act was signed into law.
01:57This allows foreign tourists to claim a 12% value-added tax refund on locally purchased products
02:04worth at least 3,000 pesos per transaction.
02:08Because of this, the Palace is optimistic that more tourists will be encouraged to visit the Philippines.
02:14With this, tourism revenue is expected to grow as a new law is projected to increase
02:19tourist spending by 30%.
02:22This will not only benefit small businesses, but also create more jobs.
02:27From PTV Manila, Kalaisel Pordilia, Balitang Pambansa.
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