More foreigners arriving in RP amid global crisis - BI

MANILA, Philippines - More foreigners arrived in the Philippines during the month of September amid the financial crunch that continues to rock the world markets, the immigration chief said Thursday. At the same time, Bureau of Immigration data showed that the number of foreigners arriving from January to end of September this year is higher by eight percent compared to figures during the same period in 2007. "The upsurge in foreign arrivals indicates that the Philippines is still an attractive tourism and investment destination amidst turmoil plaguing the world's financial markets," BI commissioner Marcelino Libanan said in a statement. Records show that a total of 384,948 foreigners arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and other ports of entry last month compared to 356,760 in September last year. The BI chief also noted that fewer foreigners - a total of 421, 208 - left the country last month. Last year, the September figure for foreigners leaving was pegged at 471,638, a difference of 11 percent. Americans were on top of the list of the 4.3 million foreign visitors to the Philippines this year. About half of that figure - 2.041 million - were tourists while the rest were expatriates, businessmen and holders of other immigrant and non-immigrant visas such as investors and retirees. BI records show that 524,339 Americans arrived in the country this year, followed by the Koreans with 479,830 and the Japanese with 293, 965. - GMANews.TV