The Philippines and India have renewed their commitment to strengthening tourism ties with the ceremonial exchange of the Implementation Program on Tourism Cooperation for 2025 to 2028, held August 5 as part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s state visit to India.
President Marcos and Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi witnessed the exchange between Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and India’s Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles Shri Pabitra Margherita.
Frasco said the agreement is a milestone for the Marcos administration’s tourism diplomacy and a key step toward increasing Indian tourist arrivals to the Philippines.
“India and the Philippines share a centuries-old friendship built on cultural understanding, warmth, and respect. Through this Implementation Program, we reaffirm our commitment to unlock the full potential of our tourism linkages, from policy exchange and capacity building to investment promotion and cultural tourism,” Frasco said.
The signed program seeks to deepen cooperation through mutual tourism development and expanded people-to-people exchanges. It was among several bilateral agreements formalized during the Philippine delegation’s official visit.
In a joint statement with Modi, Marcos cited the historic ties between the two nations and emphasized the need to enhance connectivity and ease of travel.
“We welcome the resumption of direct flights starting October this year and reaffirm our commitment to expanding air connectivity,” Marcos said.
Prime Minister Modi, in response, welcomed the Philippines’ visa-free initiative and confirmed India’s plan to offer free e-visas to Filipino travellers, adding that efforts are underway to launch direct flights between Delhi and Manila within the year.
The implementation program outlines areas for collaboration, including wellness tourism, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions), cruise tourism, culture, education, adventure, and sustainable tourism. It also supports joint promotions, knowledge sharing, professional exchanges, and tourism training and operations.
From January to July 2025, Indian visitor arrivals to the Philippines reached 51,116, based on DOT data. With relaxed visa policies and direct air links, tourism officials expect continued growth in Indian arrivals in the coming years.
A joint working group (JWG) composed of Philippine and Indian tourism officials will oversee the implementation of the program under the framework of the 2019 memorandum of understanding on Tourism Cooperation, signed in Manila.
