The Department of Tourism (DOT) is looking at developing stronger ties with South Korea, following Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco's bilateral meeting with Republic of Korea Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) Minister Yu In Chon middle of this week.

The meeting took place at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Seoul, South Korea ahead of the Seoul International Travel Fair (SITF).

'We in the Philippines love Korea Our long-standing relations that spanned 75 years…is one that our government deeply cherishes and appreciates,' Frasco said.

DOT values Koreans as they are the number one source market for tourism industry of the country. In 2019 alone, arrivals from Korea reached 1,982,322, or 24.08 percent of all foreign arrivals.

The figure dipped at just 1,450,858 in 2023 following the pandemic. As of April this year, Korean visitors already numbered 571,384 so far.

DOT is confident the Philippines would reach pre-pandemic figures for visiting Koreans this year.

Frasco said Koreans come to our country for tourism products such as English as a Second Language (ESL) schools, sun and beach, nature-based sites across destinations like Cebu, Bicol, Bohol, and Palawan, among others.

Yu, on the other hand, noted the popularity of the Philippines as a destination among Korean tourists, even sharing his personal experience of visiting the country during his first term as MCST minister.

'We want to continue our partnership with the Philippines and, historically, our relationship, we have stayed very close,' Yu said.

'On our side, we would like to accommodate tourists from the Philippines and we would also like to facilitate their convenience in traveling to Korea, such as entering Korea, visas, and other conveniences. We would like to support their convenient travel,' he added.

Both he and Frasco agreed to the proposed signing of a agreement on tourism cooperation for 2024 to 2029 that is expected to result in new collaborations not just in tourism but also in sectors like culture, sports, and arts.

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