Philippines as a Tourist Paradise

I am a bit of a culture vulture myself and therefore wouldnt put the Philippines at the top of my holiday list for that reason. But the Philippines has other attributes that are just as alluring. Like you say, it does need a bit of a cleanup though.

I actually believe that they have the attributes to be at the top of the pile of the global tourist industry and their day is yet to come. Maybe It may just be that Joe Average Brit won't be at the top of their clientel list.

The cleanup is desperately needed - but cannot happen for as long as the population continues to explode.

The "culture" issue may be irrelevant to the Japanese, Koreans and Chinese, because they don't consider anyone else's culture interesting, and they do want beach holidays, but the safety and security issue is absolutely paramount in the minds of any Japanese, Korean or Chinese housewife and the Philippines fails disastrously in that respect.

Everyone I know in Hong Kong - and Hong Kongers have been the most enthusiastic tourists to the Philippines, because of their proximity - talks about the Rizal Park murders - of Hong Kong tourists, killed because the Phillipines National Police and the Manila city administration totally mishandled the situation - as a reason for NOT going to the Philippines any more.

The Philippines is seen as dirty and unsafe - everyone goes to Thailand instead.

Is there really any national determination to change this? I don't see it.

Well, therein lays the stumbling block. There is a determination but not enough momentum behind it I guess.

Having said that, despite the antics in North Africa, people still visit Morocco. And when I get a chance I will visit the Giants Causeway in Norn Iron (carefully sidestepping Belfast en route )

I think oss (post 21) is on the money. Global travel is not going to get cheaper, in terms of average incomes. That's one reason why we see cruising growing all the time as a "vacation destination". The Philippines may have missed the particular boat called "mass tourism" and might do better to play to its stengths - diving is the obvious one. There may be others - if (and this is a very big "if") the Sulu Sea were NOT the scene of gruesome poverty and corruption and consequently the on-going Moslem insurrection, which is on the verge of turning into an Islamist insurgency, it would, being full of islands and "below the wind" (typhoon free) be a ideal flottilla sailing area.

Not just diving though. I said themed with a grin earlier as it conjures up a picture of Disney or Camelot etc. But maybe themeing in a different way:

DISCOVER SAMAR ISLAND PHILIPPINESTHE HIDDEN PARADISE...

http://www.freewebs.com/trexplore/

Some great pictures in that link.

Joe Average Brit?
I don't want too many of those here..
Would spoil my night air!!
I am noticing more and more retirees from all over the world coming here to live long term,some married,some single .
Perhaps the way the Government have advertised visa`s like the SRRV they are more interested in developing old age care/retirement homes and villages..
With the huge amount of fresh grad nurses here looking for work,I personally think it would be a strategy that plays to a huge Filipino cultural strength with its love and respect of older people.

Think I`d prefer that to the average Brit Joe ,binge drinking in Thailand....Drunk as a lump whilst doing a bungy jump..
They can have them.

Great link that. I honestly didn't know anything like that exsisted on Samar. The daft thing is Calbiga is very close to the wife's province and our farm! This is probably a good example of the problems the philippines has regards tourism. Its just not reaching out to people.

Before I "met" my wife I was in contact with someone in Samar and had planned to visit her there. The caves and waterfalls were on my to do list. Only thing was accessibility - it didnt look too easy to get there from Calbayog on the other side of the island, where she lived and where the airport is, but do able nonetheless.

"Calbiga Caves and Natural Resources

Langun-Gobingob Caves (Barangay Panayuran): The largest cave system in the Philippines, reputed to be the second largest in Asia and the world's third largest karst formation, is 7 km. long with an area of 900 square km.

Lulugayan Falls and Rapids (Barangay Literon): Hundreds of waterfalls cascade down the 14-kilometer rapids from the source at Lake Kalidongan to the Calbiga River. The most majestic and panoramic is the Lulugayan Falls at Barangay Literon. Approximately fifty meters wide, Lulugayan Falls has been dubbed by tourists as a Mini Niagara."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calbiga,_Samar

We have said that every other country has done it before but which countries have the 2nd largest cave systems in Asia - only 1. How many countries have any natural wonders of the world? Very few. And how many countries in the world, even now, have the rich biodiversity both marine and terrestrial, that is to be seen in the Philippines? Very few if any. Then add all the rest of it (Chocolate Hills etc etc) and great beaches and cold San Migs and you have an Aladdins Cave - no pun intended - for tourists.

I gather that trips to the undeground river in Palawan are over subscribed as we speak.

As for the sex trade, I don't imagine it does too well in Calbiga

"Natural Wonders
Below is a list of Recommended Natural Wonders of Asia. We invite you to discover, explore, and enjoy each of these natural wonders. Please vote to confirm these selections or nominate another natural wonder that you believe is more deserving. Mount Everest has the distinguished position as one of The Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Subsequently, it is not considered in the voting process for the seven wonders of Asia."

http://sevennaturalwonders.org/category/asia/

You've hit the nail fairly and squarely on the head. The only kind of tourism this country can attract is really "retiree tourism" aka "the final journey". There was a conference on this very subject in Manila at the beginning of the month organised by the Philippine Retirement Authority. If all goes ahead, there will be several major developments - retirement villages - springing-up around Olongapo/Angeles/Clark/Subic in western Luzon aimed at one market: Americans with disabilities and dementias, including Alzheimer's. For American families with one or more elderly parents, this is ideal since the costs involved are between one half and one quarter of those in the US, depending on the medical conditions concerned. The PRA is very happy since it will collect $1400 per retiree for the visa plus interest on their (required) bank deposits and the US government saves on Medicare/Medicaid payments.

For many reasons, this country simply won't attract the western family vacation budget - Thailand has far nicer beaches and peninsular Malaysia has many more tourist attractions. Nor is it particularly attractive as a normal retirement destination - Malaysia has it beat with its "Malaysia: My Second Home" programme which permits foreigners to own real estate and set up businesses with minimal government interference. And neither country has the reputation of gouging the last Peso out of foreigners.

There is, however, one demographic that is prepared to make the long trip to the Philippines for its holidays: young Russians. This was proven a couple of years ago in Cebu which received several thousand - spread over a 16 week period - who filled its four and (only) five star hotels and promptly drank them dry! Imagine Brit lager-louts on Club 18-30 holidays but worse, much, much worse.

Theme it. Take the geriatrics and ship them to Bohol. That leaves a good few thousand islands left for the rest. Maybe not Bohol as it has something(s) special to offer. Though I hope it doesn't get ruined by too many sports bars and the like. But there is enough islands to allow a good management strategy for the department of tourism. You could have a dedicated lager lout island.

But it could and does attract the global upmarket budget which is where its true potential has yet to be realised. No lager louts, British or otherwise then. No normal British lager lout is going to pay £2500 per head and upwards per week when they can do it for £500 elsewhere.

When I first went there with the wife when we where trying to get paperwork sorted for getting married we flew into Tacloban and had to get to Catbalogan. Back then the road was a nightmare and it took us about 5 hours to get there. As far as I know there are few roads that cross Samar and so the best way is on the coast road. Saying that when we first went the concrete road sort of just end at Calbalogan due to lack of funds to carry on to the north of the island. Lack of funds see local mayor nicked the money and built a house!!!

The thing about this caving lark is the safety aspect. How brave are you to go camping in a cave system in the phils?!

This happening in Thailand and has been for a good few years. The russians (ie the mob / mafia / general crim's) have taken over the seedier areas such as pataya. With this unfortunately comes more crime, prostitution etc. Hope this doesn't happen in the phils

I wouldn't go as a serious spelunker. But globally, many would. Cavers are crazy people and love the thrill of the unknown. From my point of view I would want to see what was easily accessible and wouldn't require me to crawl along a "tunnel" that was not much wider than myself.

The waterfalls also look pretty spectacular. Calbayog, the City of Waterfalls.

http://www.ivanhenares.com/2007/10/chasing-waterfalls-in-samar.html

When I first heard about the Samar caves and their remoteness my first thought was that all they needed to do was put a decent road in place to encourage more people to go there.


"Samar is blessed with a lush rainforest harboring tropical flora and fauna, crossed by multiple navigable rivers, pocked by mysterious caverns and refreshing waterfalls. A tourist wanting something out of the ordinary may experience all these wonders of nature and still only be a few hours from civilization. "

http://www.tourism.gov.ph/SitePages/InteractiveSitesPage.aspx?siteID=47

The Philippines doesn't need to rely on British lager louts. It has bigger fish to fry.


""The Chinese are in love with Rolls-Royce," Torsten Muller-Otvos said as he showed off the company's latest model, the Wraith, to the Asian market at the Shanghai Motor Show this week."

http://news.sky.com/story/1082720/made-in-britain-china-boosts-iconic-brands


How China's Rich Are Souping Up Their Rolls Royces

http://www.cnbc.com/id/100655233

Chinese lager louts are every bit as bad as Russian lager louts. Don't ask me how I know that.