South Korea continued to be the largest source of visitors to the Philippines during the period with 295,000, accounting for 25% of total foreign arrivals, Philstar reported.

The U.S. was second with 229,836 travelers, followed by Japan with 83,208, Canada with 65,145, and Australia with 61,564.

The rest were mainland China, Taiwan, the U.K., Singapore and France.

“The surge of income for Philippine tourism is a sign that the industry is not only bouncing back from the pandemic but is also evolving and expanding, contributing significantly to the country’s economic stability and growth,” Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said.

The Philippines, with a coastline spanning over 36,000 kilometers, was crowned “Asia’s Leading Beach Destination” at the 2024 World Travel Awards.

Thailand received nearly 7 million foreign tourists during the first two months of this year while Vietnam welcomed 3.96 million foreign visitors.