NEWSFLASH

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AMERICANS TOP TOURIST ARRIVALS

Manila, Jan. 8, 1998 - Visitors from the United States increased by 7.38 percent last year, making up 18.38 percent of the total number of foreign arrivals to the Philippines.

Japan remained the next largest supplier of visitors, providing 16.48% of total tourist traffic. Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong follow, making the East Asia region the supplier of more than half of the total inflow for 1997 .

The latest Department of Tourism figures released by Director Rene delos Santos of the Office of Tourism Development Planning show that more than 2.2 million visitors came to the country last year, contributing $2.1 billion to the economy.

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