The Tubbataha Management Office (TMO) will keep tourist arrivals below the marine park’s scientifically determined carrying capacity, even as visitor numbers remain near record levels.
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Superintendent Angelique Songco said tourism in the park must be led by conservation rather than efforts to attract as many visitors as possible.
“Ang iniisip namin na klaseng tourism ay conservation-led because people come here and pay a lot of money to see what we have here pero kung masisira siya dahil doon din sa mga taong yun it’s like killing the goose that lays the golden egg, ayaw naman natin yun di ba,” Songco said.
She said scientific studies have already established how many visitors the park can accommodate without damaging its environment. However, the TMO did not disclose the park’s exact carrying capacity.
“So alam natin na nagiging siyang prestige destination because expensive siya, malayo siya, so for some people para syang prestige destination, ganunpaman naghanda na kami ng scientific studies na nagsasabi na ilan lang ang carrying capacity ng park na ito bago tayo dumating sa limit na yun we already know what it is and so we will try to keep below those numbers,” she added.
Songco said allowing too many tourists into the park could also affect the diving experience and reduce Tubbataha’s value as a destination.
“Kasi mawawala na rin yung… you know you’re in the middle of the Sulu Sea in a very isolated place pag nagdive ka ang makikita mo maraming tao di ba hindi maganda so yung social carrying capacity will be exceeded and then nawawala tuloy yung value noong product mo pag ganun,” she said.
Tubbataha Tourism Officer Jon Cabiles said the park recorded its highest annual visitor count in 2024, when around 3,600 tourists arrived. Visitor numbers remained within the same range in 2025 and 2026.
“In 2024 po around 3,600 tourist ang dumating and then comparing it to 2025 and ngayong 2026 nasa ganung range pa rin po tayo,” Cabiles said.
He said this year’s visitor count differed from the 2024 record by fewer than 100 people.
“This year po napakonti lang po ng difference sa tourism arrivals… I think it’s about less than a hundred plus yung diperensya ng individuals na pumapasok po sa Tubbataha,” he added.
Americans remained the largest group of visitors over the past two years, followed by Chinese and Korean tourists. Filipinos ranked third.
“Top three nationalities po over the past two years, first yung American po ang pinakamarami, second are the Chinese and Korean na tourist and then third are the Filipinos,” Cabiles said.
The park’s tourism season usually runs from March to June, but Cabiles said changing weather conditions have begun affecting its timing.
“The tourism season usually start at around March to June pero nagbabago-bago na rin siya dahil sa panahon,” he added.
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Sulu Sea. It is open to visitors only during the annual diving season, with access regulated to protect its marine ecosystem.
