TPC7 – Global Culture and Tourism Geography

Chapter 1 - World Tourism Overview

Visa Free Countries for Filipino Passport Holders

The Filipino passport ranks 125th in the world as of January 2023 according to VisaGuide Passport
Index. This means that Filipino citizens can travel visa-free to 38 countries in the world. However,
to enter the remaining countries, Filipino passport holders must apply for a visa beforehand.

Where Can Filipino Passport Holders Travel Without a Visa?

As of January 2023, Filipino passport holders can travel visa free to 38 countries and territories:

For visa-free travels, you still must have a valid passport — usually six months after your departure
date— and you must purchase travel health insurance as required by your destination country.

What Countries Issue eVisa to Filipino Citizens?

The following 23 countries issue eVisas for Filipino passport holders:

The process of getting an eVisa is more or less the same as applying for a traditional visa. However,
in this case, you don’t have to visit a visa application center— you can submit your application
online, including the visa payment.

After your application is approved, you will receive an email confirming your visa status along with
a document you must print out and bring with you when crossing the border. Your visa will be
registered online, but some officers may ask you for a physical copy of the permit; that is why it’s
important to keep the copy on your person while traveling.

What Countries Issue Visa on Arrival to Filipino Passport Holders?

If you are a Filipino citizen, you can get a visa on arrival for the 29 countries listed below:

You receive a visa on arrival (VOA) after entering the country that issues such a visa. Usually, there
is a separate section at the airport where you can submit your application for your visa on arrival.

Countries With Visa Requirements for Filipino Citizens

You need a valid visa to enter the following 136 countries with a Filipino passport:
The application for a visa goes as follows:
Make an appointment at the visa center in Philippines. You must contact a local visa application
center in your home country and make an appointment to submit your application. It may take
several months to schedule a meeting with the embassy or consulate.
Get your documents ready. To submit a successful application, you have to prepare the required
documents for your visa, i.e., passport, application form, health insurance, etc. Some of your
documents must be verified with an apostille stamp or certified by a foreign office.
Submit your application. Finally, you can submit your application and attend the visa interview—you
may also be required to submit your biometrics. Once you translate your documents as required by
the embassy or consulate and verify them with an apostille stamp— if possible, then you can submit
your application. From then it will take several weeks until a decision is made regarding your visa
application.
Please note that if you have a valid visa that allows you to enter more than one country, you don’t
have to apply for a new visa.
According to new data UNWTO, more than 900 million tourists travelled internationally in 2022 –

double the number recorded in 2021 though still 63% of pre-pandemic levels. Every global region

recorded notable increases in international tourist numbers. The Middle East enjoyed the

strongest relative increase as arrivals climbed to 83% of pre-pandemic numbers. Europe

reached nearly 80% of pre-pandemic levels as it welcomed 585 million arrivals in 2022. Africa

and the Americas both recovered about 65% of their pre-pandemic visitors, while Asia and the

Pacific reached only 23%, due to stronger pandemic-related restrictions which have started to be

removed only in recent months. The first UNWTO World Tourism Barometer of 2023 also analyses

performance by region and looks at top performers in 2022, including several destinations which

have already recovered 2019 levels.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "A new year brings more reason for optimism

for global tourism. UNWTO anticipates a strong year for the sector even in the face of diverse

challenges including the economic situation and continued geopolitical uncertainty. Economic
factors may influence how people travel in 2023 and UNWTO expects demand for domestic and

regional travel to remain strong and help drive the sector's wider recovery."
Chinese tourists set to return

UNWTO foresees the recovery to continue throughout 2023 even as the sector faces up

to economic, health and geopolitical challenges. The recent lifting of COVID-19 related travel

restrictions in China, the world's largest outbound market in 2019, is a significant step for the

recovery of the tourism sector in Asia and the Pacific and worldwide. In the short term, the

resumption of travel from China is likely to benefit Asian destinations in particular. However, this will

be shaped by the availability and cost of air travel, visa regulations and COVID-19 related

restrictions in the destinations. By mid-January a total of 32 countries had imposed specific travel

restrictions related to travel from China, mostly in Asia and Europe.

At the same time, strong demand from the United States, backed by a strong US dollar, will

continue to benefit destinations in the region and beyond. Europe will continue to enjoy strong travel

flows from the US, partly due to a weaker euro versus the US dollar.

Notable increases in international tourism receipts have been recorded across most destinations,

in several cases higher than their growth in arrivals. This has been supported by the increase in

average spending per trip due to longer periods of stay, the willingness by travelers to spend more

in their destination and higher travel costs due to inflation. However, economic situation could

translate into tourists adopting a more cautious attitude in 2023, with reduced spending, shorter

trips and travel closer to home.

Furthermore, continued uncertainty caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine and other

mounting geopolitical tensions, as well as health challenges related to COVID-19 also represent
downside risks and could weigh on tourism's recovery in the months ahead.

The latest UNWTO Confidence Index shows cautious optimism for January-April, higher than

the same period in 2022. This optimism is backed by the opening up in Asia and strong spending

numbers in 2022 from both traditional and emerging tourism source markets, with France, Germany

and Italy as well as Qatar, India and Saudi Arabia all posting strong results.