The Department of Tourism (DOT) is proposing the creation of a tourism infrastructure and quick response funds to boost the Philippines’ ranking from 69th among 117 nations on the list of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
“We need to be able to invest more in tourism infrastructure to make our destinations more accessible and competitive, and for us to develop more destinations,” Secretary Cristina Frasco said on the sidelines of the Post-SONA Discussion in San Juan City on Tuesday.
The proposed fund can also prop up the resilience of destinations during climate-related emergencies and severe weather systems, Frasco added.
The quick response fund, on the other hand, can provide assistance to workers and tourists at sites affected by severe weather disturbances.
Frasco said both proposals would require legislation.
Frasco also cited the need for investments in accommodations, due to the shortage of hotel rooms that now stands at 135,000 rooms. Once this shortage is addressed, she said, the Philippines can be more competitive in terms of hotel rates.
The Philippine Hotel Owners Association, in its Pipeline Accommodation report in 2024, estimated a P250-billion investment in 40,000 new room keys to the country’s accommodation inventory.
According to Frasco, Tourism now employs 6.75 million Filipinos, and has a share of 13.83 percent of the country’s total employment, with more than 10 million more benefiting from the industry through indirect employment.
Frasco said internal tourism expenditures reached ₱3.86 trillion in 2024, 13.12 percent higher than the ₱3.41 trillion in 2023 and surpassing 2019 levels.
