The United States has edged past South Korea to become the Philippines' biggest source of international visitors in the opening months of 2026 — a notable reshuffle after years of Korean dominance at the top of the rankings.
Key takeaways
- The US logged 531,859 arrivals from January to May 2026, edging out South Korea's 501,789.
- Korean arrivals fell 9.56% year-on-year amid security concerns, while US numbers grew 7.07%.
- China rebounded sharply (+62.8%) and total arrivals rose 7.51% to over 2.7 million.
A new leader at the top
Figures released by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and reported by Philstar show the Philippines welcomed 531,859 visitors from the United States between January and May 2026, just ahead of South Korea's 501,789. That gave the US a 19.40% slice of total inbound arrivals, compared with 18.31% for South Korea.
For years, South Korea reliably supplied the most tourists to the Philippines, so the switch marks a genuine turning point. US arrivals climbed from 496,742 in the same five-month window last year — growth of 7.07% — while Korean numbers slipped from 554,855, a fall of 9.56%.
Why Korean arrivals are sliding
The steady drop in Korean visitors has tracked closely with safety worries raised by authorities in Seoul. In 2025, the Korean Embassy in Manila cautioned its citizens about crime-related risks following a string of incidents involving Korean nationals — including robberies, kidnappings and homicides — and urged travellers to avoid unnecessary movement, especially late at night.
Those concerns show up clearly in the month-by-month data, with Korean arrivals declining steadily through the early part of 2026:
| Month (2026) | South Korean arrivals |
|---|---|
| January | 149,964 |
| February | 131,535 |
| March | 91,525 |
| April | 67,803 |
| May | 60,962 |
The US had already outpaced South Korea for three months in a row, but 2026 is the first year it has led on a combined year-to-date basis. South Korea still finished 2025 on top overall — with 1,346,301 visitors — even as that market shrank by 18.5% across the year.
China bounces back
There was a strong recovery from mainland China, where arrivals jumped 62.8% year-on-year to 187,478 — enough to reclaim fourth place among the Philippines' top source markets. Analysts at Maybank Securities suggested government efforts to boost travel are starting to pay off, citing visa-free entry arrangements and an expanded e-visa programme.
China's numbers had previously been dented by safety concerns and maritime tensions between Manila and Beijing. The DOT also flagged a methodology change from March, with arrivals now counted by residency rather than citizenship.
Top source markets — share of arrivals
- United States — 19.40%
- South Korea — 18.31%
- Japan — 8.26%
- China — 6.84%
- Canada — 6.06%
Overall growth stays healthy
Across all markets, the Philippines drew 2,741,117 international visitors from January through May — a 7.51% increase on the same stretch of 2025. Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said the government plans to deepen tourism investments and partnerships with American companies and industry players to keep US demand strong.
Taken together, the surge from the US, the slide in Korean travel and China's revival have reshaped the Philippines' tourism map in the first half of 2026 — and set up an intriguing race for the rest of the year.
