The Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT) is ramping up marketing in South Korea to regain momentum in its largest inbound market after Korean visitor arrivals fell 18.5% in 2025. The DOT said it will expand digital and out-of-home advertising, strengthen partnerships with airlines and major travel agencies, and promote multi-destination itineraries to lift conversion and repeat travel.
According to tourism data cited in the initiative, the Philippines welcomed 1,346,301 visitors from South Korea in 2025, down sharply year-on-year but still ranking Korea as the country’s top source market—just ahead of the United States at 1,323,142 arrivals. Officials noted that the Korean segment has recovered to around 62.9% of 2019 levels and represented roughly 20.76% of total international arrivals last year, underscoring why Manila is prioritizing a targeted rebound strategy.
The DOT’s plan includes joint promotions with 15 major Korean travel agencies, offering discounted packages across key gateways and resort hubs including Manila, Cebu, Bohol, Boracay, and Clark. It will also step up presence at major Korean travel and lifestyle events such as the Seoul International Travel Fair (SITF) and the Korea International Boat Show (KIBS), using them to market beach, diving and water-sports experiences alongside higher-spend products like golf.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco framed the push as essential to restoring high-value traffic and rebuilding airline capacity and tour distribution. As Clark is increasingly positioned for premium tourism, the DOT also highlighted new golf development at Hann Reserve, where the first of three planned courses has opened, as part of a broader “experiential” offering aimed at Korean travelers.
