Sarangani Province and South Cotabato posted the highest number of same-day tourist arrivals in Region 12 in 2025, while General Santos City emerged as the region’s leading destination for overnight visitors, according to data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 12.
The DOT-12 report showed that Sarangani Province recorded the highest same-day tourist arrivals with 4,567,246 visitors, composed of 935 foreign tourists and 4,566,311 domestic travelers.
South Cotabato ranked second with 2,093,945 same-day tourist arrivals, including 4,986 foreign visitors - the highest foreign tourist arrivals among the provinces in the region - and 2,088,959 domestic tourists.
Sultan Kudarat followed with 1,488,261 same-day visitors, while Cotabato Province registered 1,469,957 arrivals. General Santos City recorded 1,168,868 same-day tourist arrivals, including 9,392 foreign visitors.
For overnight tourist arrivals, General Santos City led all areas in Region 12 with 910,502 overnight visitor arrivals, highlighting its growing importance as a business, trade, and tourism center in Mindanao.
Sarangani Province came next with 511,676 overnight tourists, followed by Cotabato Province with 201,542, South Cotabato with 171,615, and Sultan Kudarat with 125,280 overnight visitors.
Meanwhile, the Province of South Cotabato maintained strong tourism momentum in the first quarter of 2026, posting 486,300 same-day tourist arrivals from January to March.
Among the province’s most visited destinations were Lake Sebu, Tupi, and Koronadal City, which continued to attract tourists because of their eco-tourism attractions, cultural heritage sites, and adventure destinations.
Tourism stakeholders attributed the sustained increase in tourist arrivals across the SOCCSKSARGEN Region to intensified tourism promotions, improved infrastructure and accessibility, and the growing popularity of the region’s nature-based and cultural destinations.
