MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) is pushing for the easing of visa requirements, including the resumption of the e-visa program in China, to attract more travelers and stimulate demand from one of the country’s major outbound markets.

In a statement Sunday, the DOT told Philippine News agency that visa facilitation is a “decisive factor in capturing travelers from major markets such as China.”

“While many of our ASEAN neighbors have eased or waived requirements and reaped significant gains, the suspension of the Philippines’ e-visa program — combined with strict daily visa caps for free independent travelers (FITs) — constrains our ability to serve charter flights that typically operate two to three times a week,” the agency said.

The DOT said appointment slots for FITs, or those who arrange their own flights and accommodations, remain “limited,” while group visa applications are restricted to twice a week.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), for its part, said its embassy and consulates in China are meeting the current demand and are ready to process more applications if tourist numbers increase.

The DOT, however, stressed that easing visa rules “directly stimulates demand,” citing other markets where reforms led to a turnaround in arrivals. It pointed to India, where tourist numbers rebounded from a -21 percent growth rate at the end of January 2025 to 4.93 percent as of end-August 2025, following the introduction of visa-free entry on June 8.

The latest data also showed Indian arrivals posting a 5.01 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.

“We value our close coordination with the DFA and our Foreign Service Posts in advancing our shared vision of increasing tourist arrivals and strengthening the industry,” the DOT said. “At the same time, we respectfully emphasize that true competitiveness requires not only the capacity to respond once demand arises, but also the proactive removal of barriers that may be holding it back.”

The agency added it looks forward to working with the DFA and other concerned agencies to “further ease travel, resolve bottlenecks, and ensure that the Philippines can compete on equal footing.”

Before the pandemic, China was the Philippines’ second top source market with 1.7 million arrivals in 2019, next to South Korea’s 1.9 million. From January to August 2025, arrivals from China dropped by 24.40 percent to 182,228, compared to 241,041 in the same period last year. (PNA)