Siargao’s Recognition Bolsters Philippines’ Bid as Asian Tourism Powerhouse

SIARGAO ISLAND – The recent recognition of Siargao Island by the international travel guide Lonely Planet as the top destination in Southeast Asia marks a significant stride toward establishing the Philippines as a premier tourism destination in Asia.

According to Philippines News Agency, Director of the Department of Tourism in the Caraga Region (DOT-13), this accolade reaffirms Siargao’s status as a key destination not only for surfing but for a variety of attractions that the island, the region, and the Philippines have to offer. Dumadag’s remarks came after Lonely Planet listed Siargao first among the top seven tourist spots in Southeast Asia last week, acknowledging the island’s recent developments including the expansion of hotels and resorts, increased flight availability, and improved road infrastructure.

Tourism data from DOT-13 highlights a dramatic increase in foreign tourist visits to Siargao, with numbers rising to 33,404 in 2023 from just 6,919 in 2022. The data shows a significant uptick in visitors from the United States, Spain, France, the United Kingdom, and Australia, along with increased visits from tourists from Israel, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, and South Korea.

This international attention is also in line with Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco’s vision of positioning the Philippines as a “tourism powerhouse of Asia,” as stated by Dumadag. Further boosting the island’s global profile, the 38th International Surfing Competition is scheduled for October this year at the famous Cloud 9 surfing spot in General Luna town. The Department of Tourism has allocated approximately PHP2 million to support this major sports event, which is expected to draw even more tourists, both international and local, to the island.