The Philippines continues to face key constraints that hinder its ability to be at par with tourism powerhouses in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN4) region, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam (Toral, 2025). Persistent issues such as inadequate infrastructure, weak interconnectivity between tourism circuits, environmental sustainability concerns, and policy fragmentation must be addressed to unlock tourism’s full potential (Rivera & Andrada, 2024; Roxas et al., 2020a; Espiritu & Lawas, 2019). The objectives of the study are the following: to assess the competitiveness and growth potential of the Philippine tourism sector; to examine barriers to tourism growth, including infrastructure deficits, governance and regulatory constraints, environmental sustainability issues, and security concerns; and to develop a comprehensive policy framework and recommendations to strengthen tourism governance, enhance connectivity, and promote inclusive and sustainable tourism development.