CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Tourism growth in Northern Mindanao is creating more jobs and
livelihood opportunities, with tourism-related employment rising from 5,869 in 2025 to 7,134 in
2026, according to the Department of Tourism in Northern Mindanao (DOT-10).

DOT-10 Tourism Operations Officer Jerome G. Abragan said the figures show how tourism
contributes to local economies beyond visitor spending.

“These figures show that tourism is not only about visitor arrivals and spending. It also creates
jobs, supports livelihoods, and provides economic opportunities for communities across the
country,” he said during the regional opening of the 37th National Statistics Month on Oct. 5 in
Cagayan de Oro City.
Abragan said Northern Mindanao recorded 3.4 million tourist arrivals in 2025, an 18.51%
increase from the previous year. Tourism receipts reached about P13.64 billion, while accredited
tourism enterprises increased from 510 in 2025 to 627 in 2026.
Domestic visitors accounted for about 3.3 million arrivals in 2025, while foreign arrivals reached
112,799, more than double the 51,192 recorded in 2024.
Abragan said the United States remained the leading source of foreign visitors to the region in
2024 and 2025.
Cagayan de Oro City recorded more than 1.1 million tourist arrivals in 2025, followed by
Camiguin with 643,620 and Bukidnon with 478,405.
DOT-10 Regional Director Marie Elaine S. Unchuan said reliable tourism statistics help
government and other stakeholders understand visitor trends, measure the sector’s economic
contribution, and identify areas that need support.
“Behind every tourism statistic is a story, a traveler discovering a destination, a tourism
enterprise providing quality service, a worker earning an honest livelihood, and a community
benefiting from tourism development,” she said.
Unchuan said the region’s tourism goal goes beyond increasing visitor arrivals. She said it also
aims to create opportunities, strengthen local communities, protect natural and cultural resources,
and ensure sustainable benefits for future generations. (Apipa Bagumbaran/PIA-10)