MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday said it processed 49, 892 arrivals on New Year’s Eve alone,
Thirty four percent the visitors are foreigners, the BI added.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that this is an indication that the Philippines is “regaining its momentum as a popular holiday destination among foreign nationals.”
In December last year, 1.6 million arrived in the country, overshooting the projected 1.5 million arrivals.
The BI likewise reported that there were “almost no major concerns” in its operations during the Christmas holiday season.
“Better public service is our gift for the holidays,” Tansingco said.
The Department of Tourism in its year-end report on Tuesday said that the country welcomed over 5.4 million tourists in 2023, almost 92 percent of which were foreigners.
This amounted to international tourism receipts of an estimated P482.54 billion.