The Philippines, which has become one of the top destinations for tourists worldwide, will be expecting more and more people from around the world this 2013, which is seen as a promising year for Philippine tourism.

An article from https://www.philstar.com written by Mayen Jaymalin detailed how the government expects more tourists’ arrivals this year because of the removal of taxes imposed on foreign carriers. It was approved last December 19 by the Senate's third and final reading of the proposed bill seeking to exempt international carriers and shippers from paying the three percent common carriers tax and the 2.5 percent gross Philippine billings tax on condition of reciprocity.  The House of Representatives approved a similar bill several months earlier. A bicameral committee will meet this year to reconcile the two versions.

This implementation will serve as an encouragement from many tourists abroad to fly back to the country and bring in more travelers. Mayen Jaymalin quoted Aileen Clemente, Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) president and Tourism Congress member: “We are excited about the development because those airlines that have reduced flights or not flying anymore to the Philippines may be interested to fly in again,” “We have seen the dwindling number of seats available to the Philippines, especially considering the fact that as an archipelago, we are only reachable by air, because of this onerous taxation.”

Another quote from Clemente said that the PTTA and other tourism stakeholders as well as the Department of Tourism (DOT) have long been pushing for the cancellation of the common carriers tax that has discouraged foreign airlines from flying into the country. She also believed that the accomplishment of the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) will improve the tourism infrastructure and airport facilities that will also help the tourism industry.

And this 2013, the Department of Tourism expects at least 5.5 million foreign tourists going to different destinations in the country and as much as 10 million travelers by 2016. And because tourism is a major contributor to the Philippine economy, we expect more jobs to open for many Filipinos.