THE share of tourism to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) could reach as high as 8 percent this year due to the further reopening of the Philippine economy, an economist said on Friday.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said the share of tourism to the GDP could grow to 7 to 8 percent, from more than 6 percent in 2022, given the continued recovery and growth in foreign and local tourism due to the easing of restrictions since early 2022.