The Philippines gaining popularity among M'sian tourists

KUALA LUMPUR: The Philippines is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination among Malaysians as it posted the highest growth in the country's tourism arrivals in 2014 at 27.245%.

Its ambassador to Malaysia J Eduador Malaya said data from the Philippines' Department of Tourism showed that with a total of 139,245 arrivals, Malaysia also became its ninth largest tourist market for 2014.

"It is also the third straight year that tourist arrivals from the country breached the 100,000 mark.

"On the other hand, the Philippines is also an important tourism market for Malaysia, as it is the seventh major tourist market for the country, with 513,313 Filipinos visiting Malaysia last year," he said in a statement on Thursday.

He said active tourism campaign by the government, increasing air travel connectivity between Malaysia and the Philippines, and positive word-of-mouth in social media were among the factors that had boost tourist arrivals from Malaysia.
He said that for January 2015, Malaysia tourist arrivals continued its upward trajectory with 12,256 arrivals, compared to 8,697 arrivals during the same period last year.

"We are looking forward to seeing more Malaysians visiting the country, as the 'Visit Philippines Year 2015' campaign ramps up and the country hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings.

"The embassy is also doing its part to bring in more Malaysian tourists to the Philippines as we undertake the second edition of the Ambassador's Tour to the Philippines, specifically to Cebu and Bohol, on May 2 to 5," he added. – Bernama