Palace takes credit for rise in tourist arrivals this year

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

POINTING to “what honest leadership can do for the country,” Malacañang Monday reported improvements in different sectors, among them, tourism which saw a 9.87-percent rise in visitor arrivals in the first eight months of the year.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the number of foreign tourists increased from more than 3.26 million in the first eight months of 2014 to nearly 3.6 million in the same period this year.

In August alone, tourist arrivals totaled 480,690, an increase of 18.41 percent over the 405,970 visitors in the same month last year, he said.

From January to August this year, tourist revenues totaled P152.19 billion, Lacierda noted.

In a statement, Lacierda also said that “our hosting this year of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit has no doubt contributed to this boost in our country’s reputation as a prime tourist destination.”

“As we draw closer to the Apec Economic Leaders Meeting next month, other Apec meetings continue to unfold. Last weekend, the Transport Ministerial Meeting concluded in Cebu, and today the Energy Ministerial Meeting (EMM) and related meetings opened their first session,” he said.

During the EMM, “energy ministers will discuss the changing energy climate, community-based clean energies and ways to facilitate energy trade and investment in the Apec region,” he said.

“The ministers are expected to come up with a Cebu declaration, which will focus on strategies toward fostering a more energy-resilient Apec community,” Lacierda added.