Visa policy a positive step, yet Philippines needs more to woo back tourists: Experts

Editor's note: In this weekly feature China Daily gives voice to Asia and its people. The stories presented come mainly from the Asia News Network (ANN), of which China Daily is among its 20 leading titles.

For Wu Chuang, a 23-year-old diving enthusiast from Beijing, the waters of the Philippines exert an irresistible pull. Over the past three years, Wu has traveled to the archipelago four times, becoming a regular fixture across the dive hubs of Manila, Dumaguete, and Cebu.

For Chinese travelers like Wu, a long-awaited shift has begun. Starting Jan 16, Chinese nationals can enter the Philippines visa-free for up to 14 days, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila. The unilateral waiver applies to both tourism and business travel, provided visitors enter through international airports in Metro Manila or Cebu.

"This is in line with the president's directive to facilitate trade, investments and tourism, as well as strengthen people-to-people exchanges between the Philippines and China," the department stated. The move follows the restoration of electronic visas in November last year, signaling a cautious but clear reopening.

READ MORE: Visa-free travel opens 'big door' to Asia-Pacific region

In Wu's eyes, the country's marine life is peerless. "From the sardine run off southern Cebu to the rare species in northern waters — among the Philippines' hundreds of dive sites, there is always a corner that speaks to your soul," he said.

As the Chinese New Year approaches, industry insiders believe the new visa-free policy is anticipated to revive outbound Chinese travel to the Philippines.

'Economic SOS'

However, analysts suggest the policy shift is less of a celebratory gift and more of an economic SOS. For the Philippines' struggling tourism sector, the visa-free push is an emergency measure to stop a worrying decline.

Experts note that in the post-pandemic era, reviving tourism has become a high-stakes race across Southeast Asia — one where the Philippines is trailing.

Vietnam welcomed 5.3 million Chinese tourists in 2025, a year-on-year surge of 41.3 percent. Malaysia saw similarly robust interest, drawing 3.28 million Chinese visitors in the first eight months of 2025 alone, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The data reveal a cutthroat battle for the Chinese travelers. The international trade publication Travel and Tour World was blunt in its assessment, labeling the Philippines a laggard in the regional recovery.

This broader revival, and the central role Chinese spending plays in it, have forced Manila to reassess its strategy.

In 2019, China was the Philippines' second-largest source of visitors, with 1.74 million arrivals. But by the end of December 2025, China ranked only sixth, with just over 262,000 tourists coming to the Philippines — a mere 15 percent of its pre-pandemic peak, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Verna Esmeralda Buensuceso, Philippine undersecretary of tourism, speaking at a recent ASEAN tourism forum, acknowledged that China remains a cornerstone market despite geopolitical challenges.

Peng Han, chief analyst at the tourism industry outlet Travel Daily, believes the country is facing a crisis of competitiveness.

Despite boasting world-class reefs, Peng said it will be difficult for the Philippines to match the sheer accessibility and popularity of Thailand or Vietnam in the near future.

Infrastructure deficiency

The Singaporean newspaper The Straits Times said traveling to the Philippines is "more hassle than fun". The newspaper said airport congestion and unreliable transport make travel "less fun", while connectivity issues hinder longer stays for digital nomads.

Peng said the gap is exposed by structural deficiencies in the country's infrastructure. In several popular destinations, the only convenient way to get around is by weaving through traffic on a motorcycle. Ride-hailing services are inconsistent.

"The roads are often in poor condition, motorcycles weave through traffic everywhere," Peng said. "It creates a strong sense of disappointment for tourists."

While the visa-free policy has sparked an immediate spike in interest, this short-term boom has left some visitors with mixed feelings.

Zhao Shuo, 22-year-old from Beijing, who plans to travel to Bohol during the Chinese New Year to finish his diving certification, finds himself in a dilemma. While the absence of paperwork was a welcome relief, the market's reaction caught him off guard.

Zhao is willing to pay a premium for a holiday, but he said that soaring costs — without a corresponding rise in service quality — directly erode travel satisfaction.

"When I booked, a round-trip ticket was 2,000 yuan ($280). After the visa-free news, it jumped to 4,000 or 5,000 yuan," Zhao said. "Hotels there of a similar standard to what you'd find in China are now priced at two or three times the rate."

Safety concerns

Beyond the infrastructure gaps and rising prices, a more somber shadow hangs over the industry: security.

"While diving remains a powerful draw, travelers crave certainty and safety above all else. For many, the decision to visit is based on a feeling of being welcomed, not just the beauty of the scenery," Peng said.

The cooling of bilateral relations, fueled by the Philippines' actions in the South China Sea, alongside reports of targeted incidents, has created a palpable climate of unease. Experts said this has become a key reason for hesitation among many potential travelers.

Ge Hongliang, vice-dean of the ASEAN College at Guangxi Minzu University, said tourists are "voting with their feet". He said in an analysis that the current administration's aggressive rhetoric toward Beijing has made it difficult for Chinese citizens to feel genuinely welcome, instead breeding unease.

Wu said the country is not as perilous as some rumors suggest, but he admits it is far from free of "darker realities". For many travelers, those details are enough to shape the entire experience.

Zhao said the security warnings are not groundless. However, he said the potential for a normal vacation should not be entirely sacrificed due to the Philippines' actions.

Rebuilding trust

Peng said if the Philippines wants to win back the Chinese market, the fundamental strategy must be to maintain stable relations. While better service might mask infrastructure flaws, the "trust deficit" at the geopolitical level cannot be fixed through marketing alone, he said.

Chen Xiangmiao, a research fellow at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the media that following the launch of the South China Sea's Hainan Free Trade Port, the Philippines sees strong potential for cooperation with China, with the Marcos administration recognizing the Chinese market as vital due to complementary trade ties between the two countries.

It can be inferred from the latest US National Security Strategy report that the declining regional attention from the US may also be a partial reason for the Philippines' recalibration of its China policy, Chen said.

Chen also said that while maintaining its stance on the South China Sea, the Philippines seeks to tap China's lucrative outbound tourism market — a contradictory desire to have both.

ALSO READ: Back in spotlight

Ji Lingpeng, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in the Philippines, said in a recent comment on Philippine legislators' push to designate a Chinese diplomat "persona non grata" that while other ASEAN member states are actively exploring cooperation and shared development opportunities with China, the Philippines has lost significant development prospects and cooperation chances due to its persistent hype of maritime disputes.

He said that direct flights between China and the Philippines have plummeted from over 300 weekly pre-pandemic to just 84, and personnel exchanges have dropped sharply from over 3 million to around 300,000 annually.

Chinese investment in the Philippines now lags far behind that in other ASEAN countries, barely exceeding levels in Brunei. "Is this what the Philippine side hopes to see?" he said.

Ge said the Philippines' introduction of a visa-free policy is a positive signal. Yet, whether this signifies that the country will adopt a pragmatic approach toward China remains contingent on its future actions.

Cao Yuqian and agencies contributed to this story.

houchenchen@chinadaily.com.cn