A study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) found that Central Visayas and Calabarzon have been the Philippines’ most visited regions over the past two decades.
Central Visayas attracted the highest number of foreign visitors between 2000 and 2024, while Calabarzon (a region south of Manila) received the largest share of domestic travellers.
The findings are contained in the paper titled “Philippine Tourism Sectoral Review (2000 to 2025): From Promise to Power,” which analysed tourism trends across regions as the country’s travel sector expanded over the past two decades.
Regional tourism patterns
According to the study, Central Visayas drew 31.5 million international visitors between 2000 and 2024, making it the country’s leading destination for overseas travellers.
The region includes Cebu and Bohol, which are among the Philippines’ most established tourism hubs.
The National Capital Region ranked second with 19.6 million foreign arrivals over the same period.
The concentration of international airports, business centres, and government institutions in the capital region has helped sustain a steady flow of international visitors.
Western Visayas followed with 11.8 million international arrivals, largely driven by the global popularity of Boracay Island – one of the Philippines’ best-known beach destinations.
Other regions also recorded significant numbers of foreign visitors during the period.
The Bicol region registered 8.8 million arrivals, while Central Luzon received 8.3 million.
Mimaropa, which includes Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan, together with Calabarzon, recorded a combined total of 8.2 million foreign visitors.
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Domestic travel drives regional economies
While Central Visayas leads international arrivals, the domestic tourism market shows a different pattern.
Calabarzon emerged as the country’s most visited destination for Filipino travellers, receiving 77.5 million domestic visitors between 2008 and 2024.
The region’s proximity to Metro Manila, the country’s largest population centre, has made it a major destination for short trips and regional travel.
Central Visayas ranked second in domestic tourism, recording 60.1 million local visitors during the same period.
Travel to Cebu and Bohol, popular destinations for leisure, cultural tourism, and island travel, largely drives the figure.
The Bicol region followed with 56.1 million domestic visitors, while Central Luzon received 44.1 million.
The Davao region also recorded significant domestic travel, welcoming 43 million Filipino visitors.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the strong performance of Central Visayas in attracting international travellers reflects sustained collaboration among government agencies, local authorities and private sector stakeholders in developing tourism in the region.
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The significance of domestic tourism
Frasco also pointed out the significance of domestic tourism, noting that Filipino travellers play a key role in sustaining economic activity in destinations across the country.
“In the Philippines, domestic tourism is just as important, if not more so, than international arrivals, as Filipino travellers continue to drive economic activity, support local businesses, and create jobs across the country,” she said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency.
The Philippines currently ranks first in Southeast Asia in terms of domestic tourism expenditure, accounting for more than one-third of the region’s total spending.
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