#leechiu-property-consultants-lpc — Public Fediverse posts

Leechiu Property Consultants Sees Lower Foreign Tourist Arrivals to the Philippines this Year

During its recent media briefing, property consultancy firm Leechiu Property Consultants Inc. (LPC) says it expects foreign tourist arrivals to the Philippines to be lower this year compared to what was achieved in 2025 due to factors like higher fuel prices and other factors, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

Leechiu Property Consultants Inc. (LPC) expects foreign tourist arrivals to the Philippines to be lower this year compared with 2025 due to higher fuel costs and more expensive travel.

The number of tourists to the Philippines was flat at 4.4 million in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period last year after arrivals started to decline from May to August.

During LPC’s third-quarter media briefing last week, LPC senior manager of hotels, tourism, and leisure Adam Domingo said arrivals grew steadily in the first quarter, peaking at 12-percent growth in February, before momentum stalled in April and turned negative year-on-year from May onward.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the Iran conflict doubled jet fuel prices, pushing up airfares and prompting flight cuts. Full-year arrivals are now expected to fall below 2025 levels.

“Unless we change how we do tourism at a basic level, foreign arrivals are likely to stay near today’s levels into next year,” noted Domingo.

He added, “The clearest evidence for what works comes from China and India. Where the Philippines made travel easier, through visa-free entry and additional direct flights, arrivals from both markets grew by more than 50 percent in the first quarter, and China has sustained that pace since February. Reducing travel friction produces results.”

The same logic shows up in the hotel pipeline, with about 70 percent of planned hotel rooms located in areas with direct international flights, which shows that private developers are building where access is strongest.

However, there is a gap as some destinations with strong private-sector commitment, such as Puerto Princesa City in Palawan province, are served by international airports that sit underused because they have no direct international routes.

“Developers are betting on these places, but travelers cannot yet fly to them directly. Government can match that commitment quickly by introducing direct international routes to these destinations. Compared with building or expanding airports, new routes can be put in place sooner and can lift arrivals faster,” said Domingo.

On domestic tourism, which earns four times what foreign travelers bring in, Domingo said, “we also need a closer look at the relocation of turboprop flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to Clark. Island destinations that depend on turboprops report that business is down.”

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Philippines will end up having lower foreign tourist arrivals this year compared to last year? Do you think the national government neglected the tourism industry this year due to its hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and meetings at the United Nations (UN)?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Strong Office Demand In The Philippines During 1st Quarter Of 2026

During the January-March period this year, demand in the office market of the Philippines has been strong as net absorption jumped 77% year-on-year, according to a news report by BusinessWorld.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld news report. Some parts in boldface…

THE PHILIPPINE office market started 2026 with stronger net demand, as net absorption rose 77% year on year to 133,000 square meters (sq.m.) in the first quarter (Q1), property consultancy firm Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC) said.

Gross demand, however, reached 234,000 sq.m., down 22% from the previous quarter, which LPC said was “consistent with typical first-quarter seasonal patterns.”

LPC Director of Commercial Leasing Mikko Barranda said market conditions remain stable but are becoming more complex.

“At this point, the market remains on track, but the path forward is becoming less straightforward,” he said during a briefing on Tuesday.

He added that “tenants are becoming more discerning and intentional in their real estate decisions, which must be matched by greater flexibility from the market.”

Traditional occupiers drove demand, accounting for 143,000 sq.m., or 61% of total take-up. Information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) firms contributed 79,000 sq.m., or 34%.

Expansion deals dominated both segments, with 112,000 sq.m. recorded for traditional tenants and 51,000 sq.m. for IT-BPM firms. Demand for managed facilities rose to 31,000 sq.m. as occupiers sought “ready-to-use spaces,” LPC said.

The increase in net demand was partly driven by a 62% year-on-year decline in vacated space to 101,000 sq.m. for the quarter.

LPC attributed the improvement mainly to the “absence of Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO)-related exits.”

The firm said occupiers have “largely completed right-sizing and are no longer giving up additional space.”

In Metro Manila, Makati City led office transactions with 76,800 sq.m., equivalent to 54% of its total demand in 2025. LPC said 63% of these transactions were located along Ayala Avenue, with 70% involving semi-fitted or fitted units.

“Makati remains attractive as occupiers take advantage of competitive rents and fitted spaces, while maintaining the prestige of an Ayala Avenue address,” the firm said.

Bonifacio Global City (BGC) maintained the lowest vacancy rate at 8%, compared with the Metro Manila average of 18%.

Outside Metro Manila, demand reached 34,000 sq.m., led by Cebu with 11,700 sq.m., followed by Iloilo with 11,000 sq.m. and Clark with 6,600 sq.m.

LPC said provincial demand remains concentrated in “established IT-BPM hubs and infrastructure-linked corridors.”

Total office stock reached 2.7 million sq.m. in Metro Manila and 723,000 sq.m. in the provinces.

Metro Manila is expected to add 807,000 sq.m. of new office supply through 2028, with Quezon City accounting for 240,000 sq.m.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think demand for offices in the Philippines will remain strong throughout the year?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco