Camiguin recorded a sharp rebound in tourism activity in 2025, posting a 37.86% increase in visitor arrivals despite operating without its Smart Tourism data system for much of the year. The surge highlights renewed travel demand for the island province even as local officials navigated challenges in tracking visitor movements.
Tourist arrivals reached 397,818 in 2025, up from 288,558 in 2024, based on consolidated data from the Provincial Tourism Department. The figures were disclosed by Gov. Xavier Jesus Romualdo during his State of the Province Address on January 6 at the New Capitol Building in Mambajao, underscoring how tourism growth persisted despite data limitations.
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Tourism Growth Amid Data Challenges
The provincial government was unable to use its Smart Travel or QR code system after a court-issued preliminary injunction halted the implementation of the Smart Tourism Ordinance. This affected the province’s ability to generate detailed and highly precise tourism statistics compared with previous years.
“Because of the preliminary injunction issued by the court in the ongoing case challenging our Smart Tourism Ordinance, we were prevented from using our Smart Travel or QR code system starting last year,” Romualdo explained, noting the impact on data accuracy.
Without the system, authorities struggled to separate residents from tourists and to determine visitor nationalities, particularly as “more than 654,000 people passed through our ports and airport over the past year.”
Despite these gaps, the governor said available information still pointed to strong travel momentum. “While these figures may lack the precision of our Smart Travel system, they still reflect sustained mobility and greater interest in Camiguin as a destination,” he said, adding that the situation highlighted “why data-driven systems matter and why we remain committed to restoring and strengthening smart tourism for the province moving forward.”
Domestic Demand, Global Reach
Of the 397,818 visitors in 2025, data showed 376,322 were domestic tourists and 21,496 were foreign arrivals. This translated to a 39.3% increase in local visitors and a 15.7% rise in foreign tourists year-on-year. Although origin data could no longer be systematically tracked, Romualdo noted that field observations indicated “a significant portion of our foreign visitors were from Europe,” signaling Camiguin’s continued appeal to international markets.
The province is now aiming to sustain at least 30% annual growth in tourist arrivals from 2025 to 2028, a trajectory that could restore pre-pandemic levels of at least 800,000 visitors by 2028. To maintain momentum, Camiguin expanded promotions under the Isle Be There campaign, joined major tourism fairs nationwide, and earned recognition such as Best LGU Booth at the International Travel Festival in Cebu and Most Interesting Booth at the TravelTour Expo VisMin in Iloilo.
International outreach is also resuming, with Camiguin set to participate in FITUR in Madrid from January 21 to 25. The province continues to leverage festivals and major events, including the Panaad and Lanzones Festival, and is preparing for the Ironman 5150 Camiguin on May 3, the island’s first international sporting event.
“Tourism in Camiguin continues to bounce back strongly,” Romualdo said, crediting sustained promotion, careful planning, and a focus on quality and sustainability.
For local communities and the broader economy, the tourism rebound translates into more livelihood opportunities for small businesses, transport operators, and hospitality workers, reinforcing tourism’s role as a key driver of inclusive growth in Camiguin and a positive signal for Philippine destinations rebuilding after the pandemic.
