A tourist looks at FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 merchandise at a Duty Free PH store. | PHOTO: Official facebook of Department of Tourism
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Monday reported an increase in hotel occupancy and tourist arrivals during the 2023 Fiba Basketball World Cup.
Aside from the occupancy rate surge in the nine official Fiba World Cup hotels, the DOT’s Statistics, Economic Analysis and Information Management Division, likewise reported an increase in the volume of visitor arrivals to the Philippines from countries participating in the World Cup.
Almost half of the 20 participating countries also registered a growth rate of more than 100 percent in terms of visitor arrivals to the Philippines from July 1 to September 12 versus the same period in 2022.
The DOT said visitors from the Dominican Republic grew by 700 percent, Latvia by 600 percent, China by 595.85 percent, Lithuania by 444.58 percent and Serbia by 429.07 percent..
“FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 has brought to the fore our excellent hospitality and the distinct Filipino virtues of familial welcome and warmth for our guests. The country’s undisputed love for basketball also shone from our united support for our Gilas Team to the record-breaking attendance on opening day,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco.
“This winning feat also manifested in tourism, with teams, basketball fans, families, and members of country delegations enjoying our accommodation and hospitality industries, and discovering our local destinations,” she added.
Frasco expressed the DOT’s commitment to further develop the country’s sports tourism portfolio and further strengthen the strong public-private tourism partnership, especially with the Philippines’ expected hosting of more important international events in 2023 and 2024.