The Tourism Department expects Chinese tourists to increase by 50 percent to 1.5 million arrivals this year from almost a million in 2017.
“This year, we are aiming higher and we are targeting 1.5 million,” said Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo.
Last year, a total of 968,447 Chinese tourists visited the country, overtaking the Americans at the second spot of the top tourism source markets.
Arrivals last year almost doubled with a 43.33 percent growth from 675,663 in 2016.
Teo said the warming relations between the Duterte administration and the Chinese government, despite thorny territorial disputes, brings much more advantage to the country in terms of increased tourist arrivals as well as investments from mainland China.
Last month, Chinese arrivals stood at 111,344, a 29.55 percent increase from the same period last year.
China rose as the world’s largest tourism source market with 129 million outbound trips in 2017 according to Ctrip, China’s largest online travel provider.
Philippine Tourism Attaché to Shanghai Ireneo Reyes said accessibility to entry into the Philippines is the main priority of the DoT.
Starting this year, a total of 5,180 seats per month will be added for Chinese tourists, with special chartered flights for the Chinese New Year celebration.
Additional 1,800 seats for direct flights to Cebu, 3,183 to Kalibo and 197 to Puerto Princesa are expected to attract more Chinese tourists this year.
For the Chinese New Year period, a total of 2,937 seats are opened this month from different Chinese cities, including Guangzhou, Xiamen, Ningbo, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Wuxi, and Tianjin.
“These direct and chartered flights provide convenience that greatly affects tourist experience and influences potential tourist’s decision in choosing a destination. At the moment, there are 11 airlines servicing direct, regular and charter, routes for 17 Chinese cities,” said Philippine Tourism Attaché to Beijing Tomasito Umali.