THE Philippines and South Korea signed a five-year tourism promotion agreement, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.
In a statement, the Department of Tourism (DoT) said the deal, which is valid until 2024, will boost two-way visitor volumes while improving security for tourists.
Ms. Romulo-Puyat said South Korea has always been the top source of tourist arrivals. In the nine months to September the Philippines received 1.45 million South Korean visitors, or 23.55% of the total.
“South Korea is undisputed in its position as the top source market of the Philippines for nine consecutive years. To sustain the momentum, the DoT will embark on a more aggressive marketing campaign to continue capture a bigger chunk of the Korean market,” she said.
She added that the agreement will also enable DoT and the South Korean government to develop “new thematic tour products” targeted at specific markets like Busan and Daegu.
DoT also hopes to convince international airlines to add services between the two countries. — Gillian M. Cortez
