Manila, March 11 -- Tourist arrivals in Ilocos Norte province had bounced back last year, surpassing figures from 2023 and even 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the provincial government on Tuesday.

Based on data from the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office (INTO), the province recorded 4.3 million tourist arrivals in 2024, higher compared to the 3.5 million in 2023 and 3.8 million in 2019.

The data showed that tourism revenues also rose by 16.9 percent or an estimated PHP10.4 billion.

Of the total arrivals, about 75.2 percent were classified by the provincial government as "returning visitors" while the remaining 24.8 percent were first timers.

"With visitors returning in record numbers, Ilocos Norte exemplifies the resilience...