TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- Visits by Taiwanese tourists in the month of June increased by over 50 percent in comparison to the same period last year, and trips are up by over 30 percent for the first six months of this year.

Visits by Taiwanese tourists to the Philippines increased by 55.42 percent from the 20,601 who visited the country in June 2018, to 32,019 this year, based on Tourism Bureau data. Also, flights by Taiwanese passengers to the Philippines increased by 30.6 percent over the first six months of this year to 160,117, reported CNA.

The Philippines is the third-fastest growing market for Taiwanese travelers, behind Brunei (474.48 percent) and the United Arab Emirates (97.66 percent). The country is also the third-most-popular destination for Taiwanese tourists, after Thailand and Vietnam, and ahead of Malaysia and Singapore, according to CNA.

Likewise, Taiwan has become the sixth-largest source of tourists for the Philippines, according to the Philippines' Department of Tourism. Angelito Banayo, chairman of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) and the Philippines' representative to Taiwan, told CNA that El Nido on Palawan island is becoming a popular spot with Taiwanese:

"I was told that boat operators and service-oriented workers in El Nido can already speak certain phrases in Mandarin as a result of their frequent interactions with Taiwanese tourists."

Palawan Island is well known for its white-sand beaches and coral reefs. Situated on Palawan's northern tip, El Nido is the gateway for the Bacuit archipelago, a set of islands with dramatically steep karst cliffs.

Banayo told CNA that there are now "about 10 direct flights operating daily between Taiwan and the Philippines, plus other weekly and chartered flights." Banayo added that more direct flights between the two countries are also in the works.