Visitors to Philippines from USA rise in September despite poor performance for nine months, with latest arrival figures revealing mixed fortunes in the travel industry. For September alone, the number of visitors stood at 23,855, marking a growth rate of 3.9% compared to September 2025. Arrivals for the period of January to September totaled 207,477, reflecting a decline of 6.9% compared to the corresponding period last year. Such growth is positive, although a single good month is not sufficient to guarantee a recovery in the industry. The numbers above represent arrivals according to country of origin and purpose of travel. They do not provide insight into expenditure and factors that made September better.The Philippines sees increases in US tourists in September amid a poorer nine-month total, but Singapore’s corporate travel indicates a different trend. All six Southeast Asian destinations remain behind their respective 2025 tallies during January-September.
| Country of residence | US arrivals, January–September 2026 | Change from 2025 | September arrivals | September change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philippines | 207,477 | −6.9% | 23,855 | +3.9% |
| Singapore | 104,377 | −5.4% | 13,735 | +6.7% |
| Vietnam | 87,281 | −14.1% | 9,356 | −2.4% |
| Thailand | 54,085 | −8.6% | 5,775 | +3.9% |
| Indonesia | 52,935 | −9.9% | 5,820 | −1.7% |
| Malaysia | 42,970 | −12.2% | 5,222 | −9.8% |
Singapore’s business visitors offer the clearest lead
Singapore stands out because its business and leisure travel moved in different directions. During January–September, 32,887 business-category arrivals came from Singapore, up 7.3% year on year. Tourism-category arrivals reached 63,827, down 11.4%.
This split offers a stronger story than simply describing Singapore as a growing source of US tourists. It raises a practical question for tourism businesses: can they encourage business visitors to stay longer, explore nearby attractions or bring family members?
Singaporean travellers have shown interest in shopping, sightseeing, national parks, conferences and business meetings. These interests suggest possible links between work trips and leisure activity. The arrival figures alone, however, do not show whether business visitors extend their stays or spend more on tourism.
The article can explore how US cities package leisure experiences around conferences and meetings. It should treat those ideas as opportunities, rather than claiming they have already produced new tourism revenue.
September brings a change in direction for some markets
The Philippines recorded the largest number of arrivals among the six markets. Its total fell 6.9% in the first nine months, but September arrivals increased 3.9% compared with September 2025. Singapore saw the strongest September rise among the six, at 6.7%. Thailand also recorded a 3.9% increase.
These single-month gains provide a timely recovery angle, but they do not yet establish a sustained turnaround. Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia remained below their September 2025 arrival levels. Malaysia also recorded the steepest nine-month decline in the group, at 12.2%.
A balanced article can ask whether the September growth in Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand continues into the final months of the year. It can also examine why some markets improved while others remained weaker. The available figures show the differences, but do not explain their causes.
Philippine arrivals reveal a land-travel question
The Philippines offers another angle through its arrival modes. During January–September, air arrivals from the country fell 11.5% to 162,078. Land arrivals rose 21.1% to 40,574.
That contrast invites closer reporting on North American itineraries. Some visitors may travel through other destinations before crossing into the United States. The figures do not reveal each traveller’s full route, trip purpose or spending, so the article should not assume why land arrivals increased.
The rise also does not mean these travellers were Canadians or Canadian residents. The figures classify arrivals by country of residence. A useful follow-up would examine whether cross-border visitors stay overnight, visit attractions or continue to other US destinations.
Education adds another dimension to Vietnam’s travel story
Vietnam’s nine-month US arrivals fell 14.1% to 87,281. Student-category arrivals accounted for 18,231 of that total, or about one-fifth.
This makes education an important part of Vietnam’s travel profile, even as overall arrivals declined. The article could explore travel connected with university visits, graduations, student moves and family visits. These are relevant questions for hotels and destination businesses, but the arrival count does not measure family members travelling with students or the spending they generate.
Direct air access gives the story a practical geographic focus. San Francisco has nonstop service to Ho Chi Minh City, connecting a major US gateway with Vietnam. That route creates a basis for examining where visitors begin their US trips and whether they continue to other destinations. It does not prove that the route caused an increase in travel.
Visa rules create different planning conditions
Southeast Asia is not one uniform market for US travel. Singaporean and Bruneian citizens may be eligible to travel under the US Visa Waiver Program for permitted tourism or business visits of up to 90 days, with approved ESTA authorisation and subject to programme requirements. Travellers from the other countries in the table generally need to consider visitor-visa arrangements.
Appointment waits also vary by location. As of 21 October 2026, estimated waits for the next available visitor-visa interview were around one and a half months in Bangkok, one month in Jakarta, and less than half a month in Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
These estimates do not guarantee an appointment date or a visa approval. They do show why travel preparation can differ between source markets. The article can explain these practical differences without claiming that visa access alone determines tourism demand.
West Coast airports connect US destinations with Southeast Asia
San Francisco offers nonstop links with Singapore, Manila and Ho Chi Minh City. Seattle–Tacoma also lists Manila and Singapore among its nonstop international destinations.
These connections make West Coast gateways useful locations for the article’s destination focus. The reporting could examine whether visitors stay in the gateway city, visit friends and relatives or travel onward to national parks, cities and other attractions.
Flight connections show that access exists. They do not reveal how many passengers are tourists, where they spend money or how much they contribute to local economies. Those questions need separate evidence.
The Canadian comparison needs careful dates
Recent Canadian travel figures do not support a simple claim that visitors are turning away in every month. US arrivals from Canada rose 7.6% in July 2026 compared with July 2025.
At the same time, Canadian return trips from the United States by air in September were 11.6% higher than a year earlier but 18.7% below September 2024. This suggests that a year-on-year improvement can occur alongside a sizeable gap against an earlier period.
These measures describe different sides of cross-border travel. US arrival totals count visitors entering the country, while Canadian return-trip figures track residents coming home. The article should identify the measure and comparison period whenever it discusses a Canadian slowdown.
Visitor numbers do not prove a spending rescue
International visitors spent nearly $20.4 billion on US travel and tourism-related goods and services in July 2026, down nearly 1% from July 2025. From January through July, spending reached $145.4 billion, almost unchanged from the same period a year earlier.
These totals cover a broad range of activity. They include purchases made during trips, fares paid to US carriers, and spending linked to education, health and short-term work. They are not measures of holiday spending alone.
Overseas visitors stayed an average of 17.5 nights and spent an average of $1,938 per trip in the United States during the second quarter. Canadian visitors averaged 9.4 nights and $1,129 per trip. Those are broad averages across visitor groups. They cannot be used as country-specific spending estimates for Singapore or other Southeast Asian markets.
The figures show why longer-haul travellers can matter to US tourism businesses. They do not establish that Southeast Asian arrivals have made up for any Canadian spending decline.
The Philippines sees increase in US tourists in September amid a poorer nine-month total, but Singapore’s corporate travel indicates a different trend. All six Southeast Asian destinations remain behind their respective 2025 tallies during January-September.
Nevertheless, September witnessed an increase in Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand. The increase may indicate some shift in demand. Corporate travel, educational opportunities, connectivity by air, and vacation considerations could impact the decision-making process. This means that travelers might choose to incorporate meetings or educational purposes into vacation. Nevertheless, arrival numbers alone will not tell about spending or reasons for changing trends. Hence, it is important for the tourism industry to pay attention to travel intention and duration of stay.
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