The philippines: The Philippines continues to beef up security efforts, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco conveyed to a senior Korean official as the country seeks to allay concerns by Korean visitors to the country.

According to Philippines News Agency, in a bilateral meeting at the margins of the three-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Forum on Jan. 29, Frasco met with Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Vice Minister Kim Dae Hyun and expressed Manila's eagerness to further expand air connectivity between the two countries. The two officials focused on addressing issues affecting the sector, particularly security concerns that have recently caused a decline in the Korean arrivals.

Frasco emphasized the mutual appreciation between South Koreans and the Philippines, expressing concern over travel alerts issued to Philippine tourist destinations due to isolated incidents. She assured that the government prioritizes the safety and welfare of tourists, highlighting the strengthened Tourist-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection (TOPCOP) program, which now includes Korean language classes for law enforcers. This initiative has improved the capacity of security personnel in popular destinations such as Cebu, Boracay, Palawan, Davao, Bohol, and Clark. It complements the Tourist Assistance Call Center (TACC) program, which includes a Korean-speaking agent to meet tourists' immediate needs.

Regionally, senior officials from the 11 ASEAN member states, Korea, Japan, and China agreed on the adoption of a tourism action plan to 'jointly resolve' tourism challenges confronting the region. Frasco, who chaired the ASEAN Plus Three (Korea, China, Japan) Tourism Ministers' Meeting on Friday, affirmed ASEAN's commitment to sustaining partnerships with these countries to boost travel confidence in the region. She noted the significant role these markets play in supporting employment, sustaining enterprises, and contributing to economic activity across the regions. Frasco concluded by highlighting the importance of stability, predictability, and confidence in travel conditions for sustained investment in tourism infrastructure, services, and human capital.