Philippines as a Tourist Paradise

Almost my own words here but this approach isnt necessarily shared by all....

"It may not be the only answer to the problem of unemployment, but it is certainly one of the best. The tourism industry can provide all the opportunities needed to create jobs for the millions of Filipinos who are unemployed and/or underemployed.

We must not ignore one obvious fact: the Philippines is a great place to visit, especially for tourists whose climates are far different from ours. We Filipinos may complain about this blisteringly hot summer we are undergoing, but business and pleasure travelers from cold countries love it.

Indeed, every province in every region has something to offer foreign and local tourists. Name it and we have it. From the plushest resorts for those with money to burn, to facilities for the rugged backpacker on a tight budget, and everything in between. And while we may not yet be a Macau or a Las Vegas, there is a growing number of gaming spots that are proving to be irresistible for those looking for a different kind of action.

As a people, we also take great pride in our hospitality. We welcome guests to our homes, no matter how humble our station in life. They may first enter our houses as guests, but they almost always exit as friends.

With so much going for our country, why then are we still so far behind our neighbors when it comes to tourist arrivals? Why do places like Hong Kong, Bali, Singapore and the like bring in visitors by the tens of millions every year, while the Philippines only expects to receive some 5.5 million this year?

Surely the tourists’ dollars go farther here than in the abovementioned tourist favorites?

The answer is in the country’s infrastructure, or lack of it. With the growing number of inbound tourists entering the country year after year, the lack of infrastructure – roads, bridges, airports, seaports, public restrooms, etc. – becomes more and more apparent.

Even the private sector has not been building the hotels and resorts to answer the growing gap.

A case in point is Puerto Princesa, Palawan, which has become the country’s newest tourist darling after its Subterranean River National Park (AKA Underground River) was named one of the new Wonders of Nature. The sudden influx of tourists all wanting to take the tour of the spot means a large number of them go home disappointed because they could not be accommodated.

On the other end is Boracay, home to one of the best beaches in the world. The small island has become a victim of its own success, and now has too many resorts and hotels of all sizes. These put a strain on the power and water supply, as well as creating peace and order problems for the local government unit tasked with keeping this slice of paradise safe and wholesome.

The national government, specifically the Department of Tourism, must fine tune its national tourism plan into a real a master plan so that the target of the Aquino administration to welcome 10 million inbound tourists by the time the President steps down in 2016 is realized.

Build more, employ more
The national government can play a huge role in fast-tracking the growth of the tourism industry, at the same time easing the unemployment and underemployment problem by increasing its public spending.

A comprehensive Tourism Act guides the government. It should be implemented and fast tracked. While no one is saying that farm-to-market secondary and tertiary roads should not be given top priority, there is a great need to improve the infrastructure most used by foreign tourists.

The strategy is as old as time. To ease massive unemployment, the fastest way is to come up with big ticket public works projects. This way, thousands of jobs are instantly created, followed by tens of thousands of downstream employment created by the big projects.

If such projects were tied up with the tourism master plan, then it is not inconceivable for the Philippines to welcome the same volume of tourists as the country’s nearby neighbors which bring them in by the tens of millions.

Marketing the Philippines is not that hard. The catch phrase “It’s more fun in the Philippines” may not be the brainchild of a marketing guru, but it could still catch on and bring in the big numbers if the country lives up to it.

Make the Philippines more fun by erasing the hundred and one little irritants that leave a permanent impression to first time visitors. Remove the mulcters and overcharging taxi drivers at the airports. Target the thieves and robbers who prey on visitors. But most of all, provide the infrastructure that makes a visit to the Philippines an experience they will never forget."


http://manilatimes.net/index/index....67-the-philippines-as-a-real-tourism-paradise

I see myself as resident and also often as tourist.

Putting on my tourist hat, I certainly agree with this:-

With my temporary resident's hat on I just say this is the Philippines.

I kind of say it with my "something needs to be done to pull so many folk out of poverty" hat on. "This would surely help".

Yes a type of hat.. For the smaller head.

It really isn't a tourist paradise for a family, that's for sure.
It is not an easy place to move around and I cannot see that changing for a long time.
It is also too expensive for European families too with the airfares.
The exchange rate is also not the best.
Maybe OK for single people

I agree - it wont get any cheaper and will no doubt become more expensive. And for many Brits (unless airfares come down) the costs will be a deterrent.

All absolutely true. Airfares won't be going down, with the fuel price headed upwards, and that makes it too expensive for European and American families, although fine for families from south China and elsewhere in Asean - but few of these want to visit somewhere that offers basically "more of the same".

There is a lack of interesting history to see, there is no big spectacular wildlife, and safety and cleanliness both at beach resorts and elsewhere is not really good enough to attract people.

There is more potential in specialist holidays - diving is a market that is reasonably well supplied and flotilla sailing could be developed, perhaps, but by definition out of the typhoon season, only. And there is of course the casino business, which I for one would prefer NOT to see.

It is not as simple as it seems, and so the only form of tourism that has developed has been sex tourism for the single male - the US Embassy say one male visitor in four is a sex tourist.

The old girlie bar strip in Ermita, around UN Avenue, before Fred Lim moved it, used to be called "the tourist district!"


One cannot think of a better way to DIScourage all other forms of tourism!!

I was thinking of a themeing different islands Just jesting.

I have noticed that where money has been injected into tourism that it has provided jobs for filipinos. To my mind it (the Philippines and tourism) is underdeveloped and the infrastructure the man speaks about would provide the lubrication needed to get things moving. Again as the man says, it has been done in other countries in the region and surely the Philippines is a rough diamond waiting to be cut.

The sex tourism side of things can surely be managed / phased out over time. After all the sex industry doesn't stop people visiting Amsterdam, for example, to visit the Van Gogh museum or the city itself in general.

I suppose, in truth, we all have a different idea of what we want as tourists and what we think of as tourism. And going as a single person or as a couple will be different to holidaying as a family.

So there is no hope then?

I don't think there is much hope, John.

Everyone sees pictures of palm fringed tropical beaches and thinks, "tourism!" but, in reality, the Philippines are at such a distance from either Europe or the Americas that the air fare alone is the price of an entire package beach holiday nearer to home - and that package probably offers better facilities and involves much less tiring travel. There is almost no way to get that cost down further, and no easy way to cut out the internal travel in the Philippinesby going direct to destination.

Add to that the terrible reputation of the Philippines for safety and security - a reputation which is not unjustified, when we think of the endless kidnappings in Mindanao, and the Rizal Park tourist bus hijack and murders in Manila less than three years ago:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila_hostage_crisis

and keep in mind that tourism spending is discretionary spending - people are free to choose where they take their holidays, and the lack of culinary and cultural attractions (compare with Thailand, or even Vietnam) and you can see why the Philippines' tourist industry is essentially a hopeless proposition.

Could it be improved if money were spent on facilities?

Well, yes, up to a point - but where to start?

A new airport would be essential - but that is unlikely. The PAL- San Miguel scheme is the only one that the nation can afford, and that is small scale.

Decent hotels and beaches can be built, and decent transfer facilities, with security, but by their nature these things tend to push the costs up.

As has been pointed out, there are just two acceptable sewage treatment facilities in the country - both built by the Americans.

Keep in mind the Constitutional restraint on foreign direct investment - which is very unlikely to change for as long as the dynasties are in power.

Most of the country is in the typhoon belt. Would you risk having four days of your holiday wiped out by a typhoon?

I don't see a future in tourism for the Philippines - anything the Filipinos can do, the Thais the Viets and even the Malays can do better.

I married in the Phils in June and had my honeymoon there. And did some typhoon dodging on the way in and way out. But yes, fair point. Though tourism could be confined to the better season.

However, going back to the two hats thing. With one hat on I see the country as the place of my wife's birth and where her family lives and having a soft spot for the Philippines I therefore tend to look optimistically towards tourism as a potential stepping stone for the country. With the other hat on I see a different picture, one more like the one you have just painted whereby it's yet another tickbox checked on my checklist as to why I wouldn't want to settle in the Philippines.

I take it these guys don't get hammered so heavily by the typhoon season?

The Viets do, a bit, but the Thais and the Malays are "below the wind" - south of the typhoon belt - and don't have a problem with typhoons.

I see.

I just googled this:

"Nearly one-third of the world's tropical cyclones form within the western Pacific. This makes this basin the most active on Earth."

So I suppose the Philippines takes the main buffeting for the region?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon

Yes, the Filipinos get most of the typhoons, and of course a fair number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, as we know...

Yes, although I am a geologist I am not much of a meteorologist. Meteorology was the undoing of me in my first year of university.

Yep, agree with that.
It's such a long and expensive travel from most of Europe.
Not that convenient moving around either.

But despite all the negatives outlined in this interesting thread, I for one do still believe that following a careful strategy, tourism could yet bring huge benefits and big employment opportunities.

The Philippines can develop tourism 'products' that set it apart from other destinations and can market that attraction in the right areas.

Just my thinking.

"Products" covers a wide spectrum. I wonder which products you have in mind?

Products that set it apart from other destinations is back in tune with my thinking. Tourism that offers the Philippines to its best advantage. It has a lot to offer the world in terms of tourism and not just a sunbed on a warm beach with a glass of San Mig.

I think that there are Filipinos in the Philippines that see a future in tourism and one in keeping with promoting the countries greatest assets. Looking into the crystal ball I forsee a global market for tourists to the Philippines that can afford the expense of the airfare and other costs on top. An upmarket destination that provides something a bit different from the rest. That something a bit different that hasn't been fully realised thusfar but following in the footsteps of the below:

http://www.cntraveller.com/recommended/itineraries/hot-destinations-to-watch-2013/philippines


The clientel for the Philippines to tap into?


http://www.audleytravel.com/Destina...lidays&pmt=b&gclid=CJWLrZackbcCFXMRtAodS34Amg

http://www.elegantresorts.co.uk/philippines/c