Marilyn Cahatol

A Philippine Airlines plane is seen at the background as a man uses his phone at the arrival area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 in Pasay City on May 24, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174754011372820210524-naia-pal-jc-4.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">A Philippine Airlines plane is seen at the background as a man uses his phone at the arrival area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 in Pasay City on May 24, 2021. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Department of Tourism hopes for the implementation of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations visa to promote tourism among countries in the region, the agency said Sunday, May 18.</p><p>The ASEAN Framework Agreement on Visa Exemption will allow citizens of the member countries— Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam—to ross borders in the region visa-free for a maximum of 14 days for visits.</p><p>Longer travel and trips for other purposes will require applying for appropriate visas or passes.</p><p>Currently, Filipinos and other ASEAN travelers have visa-on-arrival privileges in member states.</p><p>Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said an ASEAN visa has a similar concept to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) visa in the Middle East and the Schengen visa in Europe. </p><p>Garcia, as one of the speakers, presented the idea on May 15 during the SKIFT Asia Forum 2025, a two-day event where organizations in the tourism sector—both government and private entities—convened to discuss issues and opportunities in travel.</p><p>“To be able to unify the ASEAN as a destination in terms of the strength of its natural assets, its unparalleled warmth and hospitality as a people, and as a culture. And in terms of the quality of experiences that we are able to offer, is one that is aspirational for us in the Philippines,” she said.</p><p>She said representatives of other ASEAN countries welcomed the idea and that she hopes to discuss the topic further when the Philippines hosts the ASEAN convention in 2026.</p><p>The tourism secretary cited, as an example of collaborative initiatives, the Philippines’ five-year tourism cooperation deal with Thailand set to run from 2025 to 2030, intended to promote tourism in both countries through research and exchange of best practices and resources.</p><p>Garcia mentioned that the Philippines exerted effort to strengthen its tourism markets in several countries after it saw a decline in the rate of Chinese tourists.</p><p>Now, there is a growing number of tourists from countries in the Middle East. She said: “Because of our efforts to diversify, we are seeing, for example, from the Middle East and the GCC, an average of no less than 500 percent to 800 percent growth rate in terms of international tourism arrivals.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/public-service/2025/5/16/tv-patrol-eco-tourism-sa-verde-island-passage-isinusulong-ng-abs-cbn-foundation-2139">TV PATROL: Eco-tourism sa Verde Island Passage isinusulong ng ABS-CBN Foundation</a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wy_7vtE14E4?si=b-U5mZWXUwGPCrQW" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The Department of Tourism hopes for the implementation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) visa to promote tourism among countries in the region, the agency said Sunday, May 18.</p>

The Department of Tourism hopes for the implementation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) visa to promote tourism among countries in the region, the agency said Sunday, May 18.

DOT hopes for ASEAN visa for smoother tourism

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DOT hopes for ASEAN visa for smoother tourism

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 18, 2025 01:38 PM PHT

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