In the initial six months of 2023, the province of Palawan experienced an astounding influx of tourists, with a record-breaking 765,991 visitors recorded in June. These figures were gathered from the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) Tourism Live-Inventory and Statistics of Tourist Arrivals, also known as TOURLISTA.
Among the total arrivals, 427,652 were domestic tourists, while 338,339 were foreign visitors. This marked an extraordinary 136% increase compared to the 325,011 recorded from January to June 2022.
El Nido emerged as the premier destination in Palawan, attracting an impressive 294,065 visitors and commanding a substantial 38.39% share of the province’s total tourist arrivals. It was closely followed by Puerto Princesa City with 269,090 visitors, Coron with 75,756 visitors, San Vicente with 52,057 visitors, and Linapacan with 16,654 visitors.
The data underscores the enduring popularity of nature-based tourism in Palawan, with tourists favoring its pristine islands, captivating beaches, and enchanting lagoons. Other notable destinations include Brooke’s Point (13,709), Narra (10,704), Busuanga (8,121), Culion (6,768), and Taytay (5,399).
To revitalize the tourism sector in Palawan, the Provincial Tourism Promotions and Development Office (PTPDO) led by Provincial Tourism Officer Maribel C. Buñi collaborates with various local government units (LGUs), the Palawan Tourism Council (PTC), tourism-related enterprises, and stakeholders. Their concerted efforts aim to strengthen tourism standards and regulations in accordance with the Tourism Act of 2009.
Buñi emphasizes the significance of the recognition Palawan has garnered from surveys and prestigious awards, as it plays a pivotal role in attracting more tourists. In 2022, Palawan was honored as the “Most Desirable Island” (Rest of the World) at the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards and is presently nominated in the same category for the ongoing online voting. Recently, the province was also recognized as the “Most Preferred Destination by Filipinos” in a local survey conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia, Inc.
“This calls for more proactive initiatives and measures to ensure that we provide excellent services and offer quality tourism products for our visitors to have a memorable experience while they are on our island. In that way, we can be assured not only of increasing our arrivals but also of longer stays, bigger spending, and eventually increased tourism receipts,” Buñi said in Tagalog.
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