By Ivy Tejano
DAVAO CITY – Over 1 million tourists visited Davao City in the first six months of 2026, with arrivals rising 11.70 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO).
The CTOO noted 1,045,854 tourist arrivals from January to June 2026, up from 936,474 in the same period in 2025 and 816,477 in 2024, describing the latest data as the city’s strongest first-half tourism performance since the pandemic.
Domestic visitors accounted for most of the arrivals at 989,241, followed by 44,424 foreign tourists and 12,189 overseas Filipinos. Tourist arrivals also increased in the first quarter, with 165,867 visitors in January, an 18.07% increase from the previous year.
February followed with 173,344 arrivals, up 22.06 percent year-on-year, while March recorded 186,131, representing a 17.38-percent increase.
Growth slowed in the second quarter, but visitor arrivals were still higher than last year. April recorded 161,532 visitors, up 6.37 percent, while May recorded 174,911 visitors, a 3.38 percent increase.
June ended the first half with 184,069 arrivals, 5.55 percent higher than the figure recorded in the same month in 2025.
CTOO attributed the continued increase to visitors’ interest in Davao City’s culture, food, and hospitality industry.
The tourism growth has also generated activity for businesses dependent on visitor spending, including hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and small and medium enterprises.
CTOO said the city intends to exceed its pre-pandemic tourism figures, adding that the latest first-half results indicate that Davao is making progress toward that target.
“Davao City’s goal remains clear: to bring Davao back to its pre-pandemic tourist arrival numbers and reach even greater heights,” the CTOO said.
The tourism office said Davao City will showcase its tourism offerings in Manila to attract more visitors and promote the city as a key destination in Mindanao.
Davao City will join the 37th Philippine Travel Mart from Sept. 4 to 6, 2026, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Organized by the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), the event will feature tourism destinations and industry players from across the country.
