A JAPANESE travel reservation application and a travel company named Cebu as among the top international destinations for the Japanese market, the Department of Tourism (DoT) said.
Cebu ranked third in the Area Category for the NEWT Awards and was the seventh most booked international destination during the New Year period by HIS.
The rankings in the NEWT Awards were determined by the total value of bookings on the NEWT app between Dec. 1, 2023 and Nov. 30, 2024.
“Cebu’s top three ranking underscores its growing appeal among Japanese and international travelers, reinforcing its position as a premier island destination,” the DoT said in a statement on Tuesday.
Aside from being the seventh most-booked international destination during the New Year period by travel company HIS, the island-province also ranked fifth in the “Rapid Growth” category after registering a 126.8% year-on-year increase in bookings.
“Japan has always been a vital partner in our tourism growth, and this award reaffirms the increasing interest of Japanese travelers in our destinations,” Tourism Secretary Ma. Esperanza Christina G. Frasco said.
In 2024, Japan was one of the Philippines’ largest source markets for visitors, ranking third after South Korea and the US.
According to the DoT, Japanese arrivals rose 22.84% last year to 444,528 visitors. — Justine Irish D. Tabile