The Bureau of Immigration (BI) in the Philippines is expecting a significant increase in passenger arrivals during the Christmas holiday season, with approximately 1.5 million visitors anticipated to enter the country. This surge in international travel comes as the travel and tourism industry continues to recover and rebound from the negative impact of the pandemic.
According to Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the upward trend in passenger arrivals began in the second quarter of the year, with monthly arrivals reaching almost 1 million. Tansingco stated, “We are already pretty close to the pre-pandemic numbers,” indicating that the volume of passengers coming in and out of the country is steadily increasing.
In November 2023, the BI recorded a total of 1,160,699 arriving passengers, with almost half of them being foreigners. This reflects the success of the government’s aggressive tourism campaigns and highlights the growing appeal of the Philippines as a travel destination.
Prior to the pandemic, the BI recorded 1.7 million arrivals in December. The total number of arriving passengers for the entire year is already 79 percent higher than in 2022, indicating a strong recovery in the travel industry.
Not only has inbound tourism seen a resurgence, but Filipino outbound tourism has also bounced back. In November, the agency witnessed almost 1.1 million departures, a figure that is very close to the pre-pandemic levels recorded in November 2019.
To ensure smooth operations during the holiday season, the BI has increased its manpower and deployed augmentation teams and mobile counters. Tangsingco assured the public that there are sufficient immigration officers on duty to serve the traveling public during the holiday rush.
In addition to additional manpower resources, the BI has implemented “e-gates” at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Clark International Airport (CIA) in Pampanga, and other major ports of entry. These e-gates have significantly reduced the processing time for passengers, from 45 seconds to as low as 8 seconds, helping to prevent long queues during peak arrival periods.
The surge in passenger arrivals during the Christmas holiday season is a positive sign for the Philippines’ travel and tourism industry. As international borders continue to open and travel restrictions ease, the country is poised to welcome a growing number of visitors, contributing to the economic recovery and revitalization of the sector.
Source: The Manila Times
