The number of foreign tourists to the Philippines remained about 37% below the pre-pandemic level of 2019, when 8.26 million visitors were recorded.

The decline came at a time where tourism in Southeast Asia has largely recovered, with Vietnam recording nearly 22 million arrivals this year, a 22% increase from pre-Covid-19 levels.

Thailand welcomed over 32 million visitors, a 7% decrease year-on-year. Indonesia is estimated to receive 15.3 million, up 10% from the previous year.

Malaysia attracted 28.2 million tourists in the first eight months of 2025, a 14.5% increase year-on-year.

While the Philippines continues to gain world recognition, the government admits that 2025 had been a “difficult year” for the country’s tourism as calamities and challenges had an impact on its inbound arrivals.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the storm-prone Philippines was hit with 31 travel alerts from countries from all over the world in the second half of 2025 alone, Phillippine News Agency reported.

A series of incidents involving the deaths of South Korean and Japanese tourists also raised safety concerns about travel to the Philippines, according to The Philippine Star newspaper.

The Philippines, which boasts over 36,000 kilometers of coastline, was named “Asia’s Leading Beach Destination” at the 2025 World Travel Awards.