MANILA, Philippines — The tourism sector contributed P2.35 trillion to the Philippine economy in 2024, accounting for 8.9 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at current prices, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

This figure represents an 11.2 percent increase from the P2.12 trillion Tourism Direct Gross Value Added (TDGVA) recorded in 2023, highlighting the sector’s continued post-pandemic recovery and expansion.

Visitor expenditures saw significant growth across key tourism products, including accommodation, food and beverage, transport, travel agencies, recreation, shopping, and other miscellaneous services.

Outbound tourism expenditure registered the highest annual growth at 37.5 percent, reaching P345.68 billion in 2024. Domestic tourism expenditure also grew robustly by 16.4 percent, rising from P2.71 trillion in 2023 to P3.16 trillion in 2024.

Inbound tourism expenditure, or foreign visitor spending, posted a modest 0.4 percent growth, from P697.49 billion in 2023 to P699.98 billion in 2024.

Combined, internal tourism expenditure—which includes both inbound and domestic spending—rose by 13.1 percent, from P3.41 trillion in 2023 to P3.86 trillion in 2024.

Meanwhile, employment in tourism industries also grew, with an estimated 6.75 million jobs generated in 2024, up by 6.1 percent from 6.37 million in the previous year. This accounts for 13.8 percent of the total employment in the country.