Vietnam, a nation ravaged by war decades ago, has emerged as a major tourism magnet in both Southeast Asia and Asia as a whole after successfully attracting more than twenty-one million foreign tourists in 2025, according to a VnExpress International news report. The figure is a new all-time high. What Vietnam achieved was more than 20% higher than its 2024 foreign tourist numbers. For 2026, Vietnam is aiming high with a target of 25 million foreign visitors.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Vietnam welcomed a record number of foreign tourists in 2025 with 21.2 million, up 20.4% from the previous year and the highest ever, according to General Statistics Office.
Mainland China was Vietnam’s biggest source of visitors last year with 5.2 million arrivals, up 41% year-on-year, followed by South Korea with 4.3 million and Taiwan with 1.23 million.
The U.S. ranked fourth with 848,000, followed by Japan with 814,000. The rest of the top 10 were India (746,000), Russia (689,000), Cambodia (687,000), Malaysia (573,000) and Australia (548,000).
Tourism industry insiders attributed Vietnam’s strong performance to visa reforms.
Foreign tourists welcomed in Vietnam. (photo credit: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism)
In March the government decided to extend visa exemptions until 2028 for citizens of 12 countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the U.K.
In August it waived visa requirements for stays of up to 45 days for citizens of 12 more countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland.
This expanded the unilateral visa waiver list to 24 countries and the total number including bilateral waivers to 39.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Considering the strong international tourism momentum it has right now, do you think Vietnam will succeed in attracting 25 million foreign tourists this year? Do you think a lot more visitors from Europe will come to Vietnam this year?
With 2025 already behind us, one has to wonder how the Philippines performed when it comes to attracting foreign tourists and as of this writing, the final statistics have yet to be announced by the government. What is clear is that the Philippines really slumped on international tourism last year and the nation is behind many of its Southeast Asian neighbors, according to a recent news article by VnExpress International.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the VnExpress International. Some parts in boldface…
Vietnam and Malaysia are rising tourism stars in Southeast Asia thanks to relaxed visa policies and improving infrastructure while Thailand has lost its lead due to border clashes and safety concerns.
Vietnam received its 20th millionth foreign visitor in a year for the first time at the Phu Quoc International Airport on Dec. 15, marking a milestone for its tourism sector. The full-year is expected to exceed 21 million, surpassing the previous record of 18 million achieved in 2019 before Covid.
With its 21% growth rate this year, Vietnam is regarded by the United Nations World Tourism Organization as one of the fastest-growing markets in the world.
Malaysia attracted 28.2 million tourists in the first eight months of this year, a 14.5% increase year-on-year.
The industry will be supported by stronger Chinese tourist arrivals, improving flight connectivity and the government’s ambitious “Visit Malaysia 2026” campaign, according to HSBC Global Research.
“Malaysia is on track to easily exceed its 2025 tourism target of 31.4 million tourists, making it one of the few ASEAN economies to achieve its target.
“We estimate the number of tourists is likely to exceed 40 million.”
This year, both countries have strived to ease visa polices, enhance promotion campaigns and improve airport infrastructure.
Indonesia and Laos have also seen increasing tourist numbers.
Indonesia received over 12.76 million foreign visitors in the first 10 months, a 10% increase, with Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and India being the leading source markets. Laos received 3.8 million, a 13% increase.
Challenging year for Thailand, Cambodia – Once a tourism powerhouse in Southeast Asia, Thailand has struggled with setback after setback this year.
The crisis began in January as many Chinese tourists canceled their trips to the country following the high-profile abduction of Chinese actor Xing Xing.
Two months later a deadly earthquake in Myanmar that sent tremors across Bangkok caused widespread damage to the tourism industry.
Escalating military clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border also triggered a surge in cancellations across provinces near the fighting. Some countries warned their citizens to postpone traveling to Thailand.
Arrivals as of early December declined by 7% to 30 million. Thailand had received 40 million tourists in 2019 and 35 million last year.
Meanwhile, Cambodia’s reputation took a beating in the eyes of South Koreans due to online scams and the disappearance of hundreds of their fellow citizens who entered that country.
The South Korean government has issued warnings to its citizens to cancel or postpone non-essential travel to the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh and areas like Sihanoukville and Bokor Mountain.
Cambodia attracted only 4.75 million tourists in January-October, a decrease of 11.6%.
The Philippines received 4.7 million foreign visitors in the first 11 months of the year, a 3.02% decline due to significantly lower arrivals from South Korea and China.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Philippines still has a lot of problems to solve regarding infrastructure, tourism promotions and domestic travel costs before it could become competitive with its Southeast Asian neighbors? If ever the Philippines fails to hit its 2025 foreign tourist arrivals target, do you think the Department of Tourism (DOT) will once again point to tourism revenues as a barometer for success? With its current standing on international tourism, do you consider the 2023-2028 National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) of the Philippines a failure already?
Even though there already is a foreign tourism boom in Southeast Asia, the Philippines has literally been left behind by its neighbors as it attracted only 5.235 million international tourist arrivals for the period of January to November 2025, according to a news report by BusinessWorld.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
VISITOR ARRIVALS in the Philippines fell by 2.16% in the first 11 months, amid a decline in tourists from South Korea and China, Tourism department data showed.
Data from the Department of Tourism (DoT) showed international tourist arrivals dropped to 5.235 million in the January-to-November period from 5.35 million in the same period in 2024.
Of the tourist arrivals, the bulk or 4.918 million were foreign tourists, while the rest were overseas Filipinos.
South Korea remained the biggest source of tourists in the first 11 months, accounting for 21.66% of the total. While 1.134 million South Koreans visited the Philippines as of November, this was a 21% decline from the 1.436 million Korean tourists a year ago.
The US was the second-biggest source of tourists, at 894,835 or 17.09% of the total as of end-November. This was 6.57% higher than last year’s 839,635 tourist arrivals from the US.
Japan was the third-biggest source of tourists, accounting for 406,794 or 7.77% of the total, 15.36% up from 352,630 a year ago.
Tourist arrivals from Australia increased by 16.17% to 268,892 in the 11-month period. Meanwhile, tourists from China fell by 16.55% to 248,339 as of end-November.
The other top markets were Canada, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Malaysia, which cumulatively accounted for 793,750 of the total arrivals.
“The weaker South Korean won amid a volatile political and economic situation over the past year and slower economic growth in China, which is the world’s second-biggest economy, on top of territorial disputes partly weighed on foreign tourism numbers,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.
Mr. Ricafort noted that the government should improve infrastructure to make it more convenient for tourists to travel around the country.
“Challenges include the need to further expand and develop tourism-related infrastructure such as airports, seaports, accommodation facilities, and train systems, including the Metro Manila subway and toll roads,” he added.
Despite the decline in the first 11 months, Mr. Ricafort said that it is still possible for the country to surpass the tourist arrivals last year, which reached 5.949 million.
“It is still possible, considering some seasonal increase in foreign tourists during the Christmas holiday season, especially overseas Filipino workers and balikbayans, to spend the most festive time of the year, while others escape winter,” he said.
“A higher US dollar-peso exchange rate would make it cheaper for foreign tourists to come to the Philippines,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ricafort noted the growth in tourist arrivals from India and other countries, which helped “offset the decline in major traditional sources such as South Korea and China.”
India was the 11th biggest source of tourist arrivals in the January-to-November period, accounting for 85,885 or 1.64% of the total. Tourists from India increased by 17.06% from 73,369 arrivals in the same period in the previous year.
Earlier this year, the Philippines and India signed the Implementation Program on Tourism Cooperation for the years 2025 to 2028.
For his part, Colliers Research Director Joey Roi H. Bondoc said that with only 5.235 million as of end-November, it will be difficult for the country to even surpass last year’s arrivals.
“I think it will be very difficult… We may not be able to beat that or even meet that, but of course we want to end the year stronger,” he said in a phone interview.
“We see a lot of foreign tourists still in December because of the holiday season. Definitely that optimism should spill over to next year,” he added.
As for the drop in arrivals from South Korea, Mr. Bondoc attributed this to the economic downturn and political crisis in the country.
“If you look at some integrated casinos, they were initially targeting Koreans… so they are experiencing the pinch of slower arrivals from South Korea,” he said.
Mr. Bondoc said the Philippines should try to attract tourists from other markets.
For further insight about the tourism industry problem of the Philippines, watch the CNA Insider video below.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Did you think the Philippines can still beat its 2024 record of international visitor arrivals and generate huge revenues for the economy? Do you think the current administration will be able to improve the nation’s infrastructure and make travel more efficient and convenient for all tourists? Do you think the Philippines is too expensive when it comes to air travel?
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…
The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Tuesday strongly condemned the fatal shooting of two Japanese nationals in Manila.
In a statement, the agency extended its sympathies to the families and called on law enforcement agencies to conduct a “swift and thorough” investigation into the incident.
“Tourism, a vital pillar of livelihood for millions of Filipinos, heavily depends on creating and maintaining conditions of peace, safety, and security,” the statement read.
“We note with deep concern that recent events have already prompted advisories from foreign embassies in the country’s top visitor source markets, which could adversely affect tourist confidence and the Philippines’ image as a safe and welcoming destination,” it added.
The DOT is working with relevant agencies, including local governments and stakeholders, to reinforce security measures for visiting foreigners.
“[T]he Department also continues to coordinate with its Regional Offices, local government units, and tourism stakeholders to reinforce protective measures, reassure foreign and domestic visitors, and safeguard the tourism industry that sustains so many Filipino families,” it said.
The two Japanese were shot by motorcycle-riding assailants while exiting a taxi along Malvar Street in Manila on Aug. 15.
The Manila Police District on Monday said one suspect has been taken into custody while another person of interest has been identified in connection with the robbery with homicide.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the fatal shooting of the two Japanese nationals in Manila is already heavily damaging the Philippines’ standing as a tourist destination? Do you think that people in Japan are already turned off by the tragedy of August 15?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
As the Department of Tourism (DOT) gave the press updates about the state and direction of tourism, it was revealed that the international visitors who arrived in the Philippines this year reached less than 3.5 million as of July 30, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
By attracting 3.47 million international visitors as of July 30, 2025, it looks like the Philippines will barely reach the 6 million mark by the end of the year, and there is no denying the fact that not enough foreign tourists are visiting the country. Keep in mind that in the Philippine perspective, international visitors include both foreign tourists and overseas Filipinos.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippine tourism sector has so far generated USD4.2 billion (PHP242 billion) in visitor receipts from Jan. 1 to June 18, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Thursday. Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the figure is up 0.48 percent, year on year.
As of July 30, the agency recorded 3,473,726 international visitors – 3.15 million foreigners and 317,536 overseas Filipinos.
In a media briefing in Makati City, Frasco said the DOT is planning to recalibrate its targets for 2025 to take into consideration the challenges the sector is currently facing.
Despite this, aggressive promotions will continue in the Philippines’ top markets, including South Korea, Japan, and the United States.
The DOT, Frasco said, would also increase Philippine exposure in Canada to capture more Canadian visitors with the recent launch of direct flights from Air Canada.
With recalibration underway, Manila is likewise looking at emerging markets to boost arrivals, among them Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and India, Frasco said.
“We’re taking a very close look at these exciting markets, especially India, which now has visa-free access and forthcoming direct flights to Manila,” she said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the DOT right now cannot come up with effective solutions to make the Philippines a more attractive tourist destination? Do you think Congress should increase the annual budget of the DOT so that it can execute its tourism plans? Does the DOT need a new leader right now?
In what is clearly an attempt to help the Philippines attract more foreign tourists, the government is pushing to open regional tourism and business hubs to international flights which should enable foreigners to have better access to other parts of the country, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
President Marcos has underscored the government’s push to open regional tourism and business hubs to international flights, saying these would allow foreign travelers to skip Metro Manila and head straight to their chosen destinations.
Marcos said this as he led the groundbreaking of the Caticlan Passenger Terminal Building in Aklan on Monday, July 18.
In his speech, the President said regional airports such as Caticlan are key to welcoming foreign travelers directly to Philippine destinations, bypassing Metro Manila and stimulating regional economies.
“We are slowly putting together the building blocks of our policy of opening up our tourist areas… to international travelers without having to go through the Manila Airport,” he said.
Marcos added that the new passenger terminal, which will serve as the main airport gateway to Boracay and other destinations in Western Visayas, would help ease travel to the region and boost economic activity.
“It is not just Aklan who is involved in this; it is the entire region that will be assisted by the construction of this terminal building,” he said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the national authorities will be able to establish new ways for foreign tourists to skip Metro Manila and move on to their chosen destinations located in other parts of the country? On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the current state of tourism in the Philippines?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Based on the latest international tourism statistics and analysis for 2025, the Philippines is clearly failing to attract foreign tourists when compared to its Southeast Asian neighbors, according to a news article by VnExpress.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the VnExpress news article. Some parts in boldface…
An online debate has erupted on social media as users wonder why the Philippines, with its rich nature, culture, and cuisine, is being overlooked by foreign tourists in favor of destinations like Vietnam and Thailand.
Thea Tan, a Filipino, posted on her X account in May expressing frustration over the Philippines’ underwhelming tourism numbers despite offering what other countries dream of: breathtaking beaches, vibrant culture, incredible food, and the warmest locals.
“So, why are tourists still choosing Thailand, Vietnam, and Bali over us?” she asked.
The post quickly went viral, accumulating over 9,000 likes and hundreds of comments.
In the first quarter of the year, Malaysia topped the list of most-visited Southeast Asian countries, with 10.1 million arrivals, followed by Thailand (9.55 million), Vietnam (6 million), and Singapore (4.3 million). By April, the Philippines had only welcomed 2.1 million visitors.
In 2024, the country saw 5.9 million foreign tourists, falling short of the government’s target of 7.7 million and far behind its regional neighbors including Cambodia, which had 6.7 million visitors.
Many online users, like Tan, argue that the Philippines is not considered a top priority destination in ASEAN.
“We are tiring out tourists with poor infrastructure and complicated transportation,” Tan noted.
Even locals find domestic travel expensive and difficult, let alone for foreign visitors, according to comments on the post.
“The Philippines has beautiful beaches, delicious food, and friendly people, but it lacks roads, reliable airports, and public transportation. Most importantly, the prices here are too high,” one local shared.
Another netizen pointed out, “In all the countries you’ve mentioned, their capitals are also tourist destinations. Manila, on the other hand, is boring for tourists. We don’t have decent museums or historical tours, and moving around in Manila is not easy either.”
A netizen added, “The government isn’t investing in quality tourist facilities and infrastructure like our neighboring countries. That’s where we’re lagging behind.“
Recently, the Philippines was ranked as the most dangerous destination by U.K. financial comparison site HelloSafe in a survey dismissed by the Philippines’ tourism experts as biased and misleading.
Victor Lim, president of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, emphasized that the Philippines must improve its infrastructure and enhance safety measures to establish itself as a leading tourist destination in Southeast Asia, Philstar reported.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Department of Tourism and its strategic partners should get together and come up with hard adjustments to make the Philippines more attractive to foreigners? What do you think are the five biggest problems of the tourism industry of the country? Do you consider tourism-related awards crucial to the Philippines’ ability to attract visitors from around the world?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
The tourism of the industry of the Philippines accounted for a share of 8.9% of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) for the year 2024, according to a BusinessWorld news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
THE SHARE of the tourism industry in the Philippine economy rose to a five-year high of 8.9% in 2024, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Thursday.
Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA) — an indicator of the economic contribution from tourism-related activities — jumped by 11.2% year on year to P2.35 trillion last year, preliminary data from the PSA showed.
However, TDGVA growth was slower than the 49.9% surge logged in 2023 and the slowest annual growth since the 10.3% expansion in 2020.
Despite the slower growth, the share of TDGVA to the economy rose to 8.9% in 2024, the highest share since the 12.9% recorded in 2019.
By industry, country-specific tourism characteristics goods – shopping accounted for 21.8% of the total with P512.68 billion. It was followed by miscellaneous services (20.2% share or P476.23 billion) and accommodation services for visitors (18.4% share or P432.9 billion).
Domestic tourism expenditure, which includes resident visitors’ spending within the country on a domestic trip or as part of an international trip, grew by 16.4% to P3.16 trillion last year.
Outbound tourism spending reached P345.68 billion in 2024, rising by 37.5% from P251.35 billion in 2023.
Inbound tourism expenditure, meanwhile, inched up by 0.4% annually to P699.99 billion. Total employment in the tourism sector grew by 6.1% to 6.75 million in 2024. Tourism accounted for 13.8% of the total jobs in the country in 2024.
The majority of the tourism-related jobs were centered on miscellaneous activities. The health and wellness sector employed 1.83 million, accounting for a 27.1% share.
The accommodation and food and beverage sector had 1.69 million workers (25% share), while passenger transport had 1.67 million workers (24.7%).
Reinielle Matt M. Erece, an economist at Oikonomiya Advisory and Research, Inc. said easing inflation helped boost tourism spending last year.
“Lower inflation relative to 2023 and better economic conditions in the country may have encouraged tourists due to better prices,” he said in an e-mail. Inflation averaged 3.2% in 2024, cooling from the 15-year high of 6% in 2023.
Last year, the Department of Tourism recorded 5.95 million visitor arrivals, falling short of its 7.7 million target.
“While Philippine tourism has made substantial progress — particularly in revenue generation — it hasn’t achieved full recovery in terms of visitor numbers, and the pace of recovery appears to be slowing in early 2025,” Leonardo A. Lanzona, Jr., an economics professor in Ateneo de Manila University, said in an e-mail.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think Philippine tourism will end up being weaker as an economic sector this year? Do you think the weakening Philippine Peso will convince foreigners to visit the Philippines very soon?
By pointing to the VAT refund for foreign tourists (click here and here), the Department of Tourism (DOT) is looking forward to growth in tourism revenue this year, according to a BusinessWorld news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of the BusinessWorld news report. Some parts in boldface…
THE Department of Tourism (DoT) said tourism revenue is expected to rise this year, aided by the new tax refund for tourists.
“2024 was a banner year for Philippine tourism, with international spending reaching around P760 billion, a 126% recovery rate (from pre-pandemic levels). Our goal was always to exceed that, which we achieved the previous year,” Tourism Secretary Ma. Esperanza Christina G. Frasco said on Monday.
She said that the value-added tax (VAT) refund for foreign tourists and DoT’s collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will encourage more visitor spending.
She added such measures will allow the country “to exceed its international visitor receipts as well as domestic tourism receipts from the year before.”
On Monday, the DTI and DoT signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to strengthen coordination in promoting tourism-related industries, participate in joint trade and tourism missions, develop sustainable tourism-related enterprises, and encourage the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“Through this MoA, we will give our tourism MSMEs the platform to avail of the programs of the DTI, especially in supporting the expansion of their livelihood and businesses,” Ms. Frasco said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the VAT refund for tourists will actually result in an increase of tourism revenue in the Philippines this year?
Recently the Philippines officially became a VAT-free destination for foreign tourists as the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 12079 (Value-Added Tax Refund for Non-Resident Tourists) has been signed, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. It should be noted that the Republic Act was signed into law last December.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
Government officials signed on Monday the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 12079 or the Value-Added Tax (VAT) Refund for Non-Resident Tourists.
In a statement, the Department of Finance (DOF) said the IRR was signed by Secretary Ralph Recto, Bureau of Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio and Bureau of Internal Revenue Deputy Commissioner Marissa Cabreros.
It was witnessed by Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco and Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Secretary Frederick Go.
RA 12079 aims to boost tourism and encourage more foreign tourists to shop and spend more in the Philippines, thereby bolstering economic growth.
Under the IRR, non-resident tourists or foreign passport holders may apply for a VAT refund for locally purchased goods from accredited stores that are equivalent to at least PHP3,000.
The goods must be physically taken out of the Philippines by the tourist as accompanied baggage within 60 days from the date of purchase.
The VAT refund applies only to retail and tangible goods, such as clothing, apparel, electronics, gadgets, jewelry, accessories, souvenirs, food or non-food consumables, and other goods intended for personal use.
“With a multiplier effect of 1.97, every 100 pesos spent by a tourist generates 197 pesos in economic output. Imagine that. Halos doble ang balik sa ekonomiya (The return to the economy is almost double),” Recto said.
“And more money spent by foreign tourists means more businesses created, more Filipino workers hired, more jobs provided, higher incomes for our people and more revenues for the government to collect. That’s the simple formula for growth,” he added.
Recto cited the importance of effective executive to unlock the law’s full potential.
He said the country must establish a fully functional VAT refund system and a surge in inbound tourism.
“We want more tourists to come — and we want them to stay longer, spend bigger, and transact with convenience,” he said.
Heeding President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call, Recto vowed to ensure that the VAT refund process is simple, accessible and culturally inclusive.
“From our end at the Department of Finance, we aim to deliver a VAT refund system that is world-class, modern, and built on the principles of transparency, efficiency and ease,” he said.
The IRR mandates the DOF to engage the services of reputable and internationally recognized VAT refund operators to provide end-to-end solutions to the government. Such refunds may be made electronically or in cash to enhance the ease of doing business.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Now the IRR of the VAT refund for foreign tourists has officially been signed, do you expect positive impact on Philippine tourism to happen this year? Do you think a lot of tourists overseas have been waiting for the Philippines to establish the VAT refund for foreign tourists?
Author Carlo Carrasco 