DAVAO City recorded its highest tourist arrivals since the pandemic, surpassing the one-million mark in the first half of 2026, as the city continues to see a strong recovery in its tourism sector, the Davao City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) reported.
The city registered 1,045,854 tourist arrivals from January to June 2026, representing an 11.70 percent increase from the same period last year, based on city hotel check-in data.
The figure consisted of 989,241 domestic tourists, 44,424 foreign tourists, and 12,189 overseas Filipinos.
The latest tally builds on the strong performance recorded during the first quarter, when Davao City welcomed 525,342 visitors, a 19 percent increase from the same period in 2025, according to CTOO Officer-in-Charge Willenito Tormis.
March posted the highest monthly arrivals during the first half of the year at 186,131, followed by June with 184,069 and February with 173,344.
The city also recorded double-digit growth during the first three months of 2026, with tourist arrivals increasing by 18.07 percent in January, 22.06 percent in February, and 17.38 percent in March compared with the same months in 2025.
Growth slowed in the succeeding months but remained positive, with April recording a 6.37 percent increase, May at 3.38 percent, and June at 5.55 percent.
Mice, festivals help drive arrivals
Tormis earlier attributed the city's tourism growth partly to the increasing number of meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (Mice) held in Davao City. He also pointed to major city events and festivals as important tourism drivers.
The city's tourism performance also received a boost from major annual events. The City Government of Davao reported that Kadayawan Festival 2025 drew 206,506 visitors, while Pasko Fiesta 2025 recorded 192,969 arrivals.
Tourism officials had also been preparing new initiatives to attract and retain visitors. Among these is a digital version of the Davao Tourist Passport, which was being developed with assistance from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism under the Smart JAMP program.
Recovery continues
The latest figures come after Davao City surpassed 2 million tourist arrivals for the entire year of 2025, according to the City Government of Davao. The city government said the continued increase reflects growing visitor activity and efforts to expand tourism offerings beyond conventional attractions.
Tormis previously emphasized the need to ensure that the gains in tourism also translate into opportunities for local businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises. The city has been introducing new tourism circuits, tours and products as part of efforts to give local establishments greater visibility.
The first-half 2026 figures suggest that Davao's tourism recovery is continuing despite challenges that affected travel demand earlier in the year.
In April, Tormis said the city had expected tourism numbers to decline because of the oil crisis linked to the conflict in the Middle East. Despite the concern, arrivals still posted a 6.37 percent year-on-year increase that month.
With more than a million arrivals already recorded in the first six months, the city is now positioned to sustain its tourism momentum through the second half of the year, traditionally marked by major events that draw visitors to Davao.
The CTOO said the continued increase in tourist arrivals benefits not only hotels and tourism establishments but also restaurants, tour operators, transport providers, retailers, and other local enterprises that depend on visitor spending.
The latest performance likewise brings Davao City closer to its goal of fully recovering from the pandemic-era disruption and strengthening its position as one of the country's major tourism destinations.
“Daghang salamat to all our tourism stakeholders, Dabawenyos, and visitors for being part of this journey and for helping us showcase the best of Davao City to the world,” the CTOO’s statement read. DEF
