The Philippines’ cruise tourism is seen to bounce back after three years since the onset of the pandemic, with 139 port calls and over 117,000 passengers pegged for 2023 alone.

The number of calls scheduled this year reflects a 36 percent increase from 102 in 2019, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said.

“[N]ow, we have 139 ports of call far exceeding our pre-pandemic numbers and this tells us that the Philippines remains to be a top-of-mind destination all over the world and that we are indeed positioning ourselves not only to reclaim our position as number five prior to the pandemic but rather claiming a more primary position among our ASEAN neighbors,” she told reporters on Wednesday.

Frasco is optimistic about the prospects for this niche market following an agreement with other Southeast Asian countries to develop cruise travel and promote the region as a “unified destination.”

“The possibilities are endless for the Philippines both in terms of an independent cruise destination as well as unified cruise destination in the ASEAN region,” she said.

Manila cruise call

Frasco, other Tourism officials and Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna welcomed 317 passengers onboard the Silver Spirit cruise ship at the Manila South Harbor on Wednesday.

This was the third cruise ship to dock in the capital this year.

“The arrival of this cruise into this port in Manila signals the resurgence of the tourism industry as it is one of the first that has docked in the Philippines,” Frasco said.

“This signals confidence as well in travel and tourism into the Philippines and we’re very grateful for the support of the City of Manila to open up its harbor to our visitors from all over the world and we’re hopeful that this arrival may signal many more in the year to come,” she added.

The luxury cruise ship, which also carries 181 Filipino crew members, would sail for Romblon and Coron after its Manila stop.

In the same interview, Frasco said she envisioned Manila becoming a hub for cruise ships in the Philippines rather than just a stop.

“The long-term plan along with (Mayor Lacuna’s) vision is really that Manila should be the gateway for ports in the Philippines, not just a stopover, but rather as a hub similar to many cities all over the world like Barcelona,” she said.

The expected cruise calls across 46 destinations in the Philippines include the provinces and famous destinations that include Batanes, Bohol, Boracay, Cebu, El Nido, Cresta de Gallo in Romblon, and Cagayan de Oro City.

With a total of 117,384 cruise guests this year, the industry is estimated to rake in millions of dollars in revenues.

In 2019, cruise ship passengers spent an average of USD100 in the Philippines, Frasco said. (PNA)