DOT backs unified ASEAN visa to boost tourism

The Philippines, through the Department of Tourism (DOT), strongly supports the creation of a unified ASEAN visa to bolster regional tourism and present Southeast Asia as a single, powerful destination.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco highlighted the unified visa's potential during the SKIFT Asia Forum 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand.

This proposal, similar to the European Schengen visa and the Gulf Cooperation Council's joint visa, aims to realize the ASEAN tagline 'A destination for every dream.'

Frasco noted similar interest from other Southeast Asian nations and expressed hope that the unified visa would be a key discussion point when the Philippines hosts ASEAN in 2026.

She emphasized that while competition is healthy, regional collaboration through a unified visa system would ultimately benefit all member countries by strengthening ASEAN as a collective force.