DOT signs 5-year tourism pact with South Korea

On Monday, the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) and South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism signed an implementation program for tourism cooperation from 2024 to 2029.

During a ceremony at Malacañang Palace in Manila, DOT Secretary Christina Frasco and Minister Yu In-chon exchanged documents in the presence of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol.

The program aims to enhance tourism relations between the Philippines and South Korea by fostering people-to-people exchanges and increasing demand for Philippine destinations from South Korea, which is the top source market for Filipino tourists.

Under the agreement, both countries will exchange tourism professionals and administrators to share practices in hotels, resorts, cruise ships, ports, tourism products, and other industries.

The MoU also allows for joint promotions and marketing aimed at increasing tourist traffic and encouraging tourism investment, while forming a joint working group to oversee the program.

Since January 2024, over one million visitors from South Korea have arrived in the Philippines, accounting for approximately 27.16% of all foreign tourists.