Since Noynoy Aquino became President of the Philippines, the new Secretary of Tourism has been Mr. Alberto Lim. Lim is the former Director of the Makati Business Club, a very prestigious group for businessmen. Without a doubt, Secretary Lim has the credentials to be a first class Secretary of Tourism for the Philippines.
Over the past month or so, I have seen Secretary Lim participating in a number of interviews on various news programs on TV. I am not just talking about quick 30 second sound bites, rather 30 minute or even 1 hour interview shows where topics can be really covered in-depth.
I must say that in some ways, I have been impressed by Secretary Lim, but in other ways I have felt disappointed by his performance in these interviews.
What impresses me? Well, frankly, the most impressive thing I see when I see Secretary Lim is his excitement about bringing more tourism to the Philippines. Lim, without a doubt, has a passion for the Philippines. You can see it in his eyes and the excitement in his voice when he talks about trying to increase tourism here in the Philippines. Nobody can say that Secretary Lim is not excited, or that he doesn’t want to succeed.
What disappoints me? My biggest disappointment is that I feel like Lim is trying too hard to impress, and by trying too hard, he sometimes says things that are incorrect. As an example of this, I was watching Lim being interviewed by Karen Davila on ANC News Channel the other day. Mr. Lim told Karen that he knows that people want to see the Philippines advertise tourism on CNN where other big players are advertising. A discussion started up about a commercial that India shows on CNN to promote tourism. The India campaign is called “Incredible India”. Mr. Lim then said (I am paraphrasing now):
We have the talent to do a campaign that good. After all, the Incredible India campaign and commercial was done by Filipinos!
Karen acted surprised (as I was), and said, “Oh really?” Lim traded words with Karen, and in the end, when Karen asked, “Did Filipinos really do that commercial for Incredible India?” Lim replied, “Well, I’m really not sure, that’s what I heard… maybe it’s an urban legend.”
Well, honestly, I do not think that India outsourced their tourism campaign to the Philippines. It makes no sense, because that is something you would certainly want to do “in country” to get the flavor of your country in your tourism ads. I would guess, myself, that there is less than 1% chance that Filipinos did the Incredible India campaign. So, because of his excitement, I believe that Secretary Lim misspoke. Over the time that I have seen Lim on interview shows, I have seen him misspeak a number of times, so it’s not just a one time accident, but seems to be a pattern.
When asked what the plans are for increasing Philippine tourism, Lim has been a bit dodgy and doesn’t want to give an answer. For over a month, I keep hearing him say “wait and see” and “we have a surprise” and such. Well, let’s get on with it. Get it done and announce it.
My biggest problem, though, is that when Lim gives hints about what the DoT (Department of Tourism) has up it’s sleeve, I feel that they are going to be aiming way off from where the target should be, in my opinion. The Philippines has a lot of things already that can attract tourists, but there are a lot of obstacles in the way, many of which are very easy and inexpensive to fix. Fixing those easy and cheap things should be a priority, but it never has been.
On the most recent interview with Lim that I watched, he was asked about his budget. Lim revealed that he has been given a budget of P100 million to turn things around and get tourists to the Philippines. His short term goals are to get 3.3 Million tourists to the Philippines this year, 3.6 Million in 2011, and in 5 years to reach 6 Million tourists. P100 million? That’s only about $2.5 Million. That is not much money to do some of the things I see Lim mentioning. He mentioned TV advertising, and that will cost a lot more than $2.5M for any kind of decent TV campaign. But, like I said earlier, there are some easy to fix problems that would be cheap to fix. Spend the P100M on those things instead of on TV campaign and such. As more tourism comes into the country from fixing the easy stuff, then more can be spent for big budget items.
So, what am I talking about on the “cheap and easy” fixes? I am going to be writing about some of those things in future articles, over the next couple of weeks. Without a doubt, fixing the failed tourism promotion in the Philippines is a good way to lift up the country, bring employment to the people, and generally improve the Philippines.
I am not trying to be hard on Secretary Lim. As I said, I like a lot of what he has to say. He has the right attitude, and excitement that should be in a Tourism Secretary. I want to see him succeed, without a doubt! I’ll be talking more about that in future articles. For now, I’ll just say – Good luck Secretary Lim.
Hi Bob, I’ve watched several interviews back in July when he was first appointed and felt rather uneasy about him too. What struck me right off the bat was that he was originally chosen to be the Secretary to the Department of Labor, and then he was moved to the new position he now holds at the last minute.
During interviews, he seemed “all over the map” about what he wanted to accomplish, from promoting hign-end tourism as opposed to the “backpacker tourists”, ecotourism, better English skills for tour guides and taxi drivers, more flights into the Philippines.
He has quite an educational and business background, and seems quite personable and articulate though, so that should be an asset, but he really has his work cut out for him. He hopes to double tourism revenues in six years, so I wish him well..
On another note, I was especially impressed with newly appointed Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, as he seems to have clear, concrete plans for what he’d like to accomplish.
Hi Queenie – I agree that Lim is all over the map, and he doesn’t spend enough time explaining each spot on the map that he visits! I feel that he is overly excited to get something done, and that leads to his demeanor when interviewed. I hope he settles down and gets down to some serious work!
Hi Bob, You must have heard that Mr. Lim has stepped down as Secretary of Tourism.
Wonder what will happen next.. Queenie
Hi Queenie – Indeed, I did hear the news. To me, it is not good for the Philippines, because when somebody new comes in, we have to start fresh with the new person’s program, which will only delay things moving ahead. That’s how I see it anyway.
Queenie & Bob, wow I am so impressed that you seem to know who & how the Cabinet Secretaries are doing. & that made me realize that I do not know any of the current administration’s secretaries.
I like that you have clearly pointed out what’s going on w/ them. 🙂
Thanks, Roy. Since the Philippines is my home, I do try to keep up with what is going on here.
Hi Roy, Was just visiting back at this topic, and noticed your comment here from before. I so miss your comments, and wish you would visit back at the site again. your input is always so interesting. You’re probably very busy, but please visit when you can.
Hey Bob, I applied for a permanent visa for Nick and it was approved but under the probationary visa. Of course we just human so we forget things. The next thing we know his probationary visa expired. I went to the B.I. here in Cagayan , sad to say they cannot help me and I cannot file a motion for reconsideration. I paid a total of P60,000.00. I was so frustrated and I was down knowing that we can’t file a motion for reconsideration.
Now we are back again for a new application for Nick’s visa. What a pain!
At least they will consider some things . But i guess not. The B.I. personnel here are, in fact already my friends but they told me it is the Manila’s rules and regulations. I’m so sad abut this….
Hi Jenny – Sorry to hear of the problems on the Visa! I hope that all goes smoothly on the second try!
Hi Jenny,
Wow,how come you pay so much? Is that for 2 Applications and lawyer fees.
I know someone who recently applied for 1yr probationary 13a,did it himself with BOI staff assistance,cost around P9000 including ACR-I card.
regards,Chas.
Mr. Lim;
Here is what a tourist needs; updated road maps that can get the tourist to the attraction.
with proper road signage to aid in the map use
A Tourist web site listed by the 3 regions, and broken down into each Province that can list what attractions and services are there? (You can make money by selling ad’s for Hotels resorts and restaurants.)
I know it’s a simple list, but these items are not available here at this time, if they are available than they are just not promoted well. “Tell them what’s here, and they will come!”
I have lived in Bataan for ten years and today found out about a place called “Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar” in Begac Bataan, and a fellow American had to be the one to let me know about it.
Hi Paul – You are so right. Just basic things that are cheap are what is needed to start getting Tourism on track. Tight budget? No problem, this stuff is cheap anyway!
Bob;
I agree with your thought that TV is just not worth the money at this early date. Fix the foundation before you rebuild the house.
Hi Paul – Yeah, if you build the structure on a shaky foundation, the house will fall anyway….
Hi Bob,
Another case of “foot in mouth”.
Lesson he should learn “never rely on gossip/urban legend,always checkout the facts” Lol.
He certainly has a huge uphill struggle to increase tourism,in light of the recent fatal events that have happened.
regards,Chas.
Hi chas – indeed, Secretary Lim’s got a lot on his plate, and much of it is not easy. But, a few small steps can go a long way.
nice
First, the best a tourism secretary can do is advertise the best a country can offer. The Philippines has a lot to offer, but the average tourist has to crawl through an awful lot of muck to find it. Bottom line…to make tourism a priority, they should build some limited infrastructure to support it. For those tourist who are interested in Philippine history, build packages, with government support and oversight, to cover old Manila. Make it first class, but affordable. A lot of people will spend $4000 USD on a round trip 4 or 5 day historical tour of Manila, Cavite, Corregidor, Miraveles tour that includes b-fast, lunch, dinner, AC buses, decent hotel accommodations, etc. Work a deal with hotels and airlines. Similar packages can be put together for many provinces. The idea isn’t that this fully pays the cost expended…that it get’s some buzz…people talking to people, word of mouth advertising…”hey, you guys can’t believe the deal I just got in the Philippines!”. Protect those tourists very well, make them feel secure and prevent them from being nickled and dimed to death while they are there. Throw in some value added stuff.
This is tourism 101…bottom line is give them something to remember that is safe, clean, healthy and memorable. Something that tells them that the Philippines are a great value and interesting and fun! It’s not that hard.
There are some laws on the books that make this difficult…the airport fees are a major problem…not that there are fees, but the way a typical tourist has to deal with them. Make them disappear in the package bill. Nobody should find out at the airport that they owe hundreds of pesos to leave the country when the are at the airport. That is wrong. Customs should lighten up too…if you buy something in the Philippines, let them take it home, no matter what it is (as long as it’s legal in the Phils and US) without some wild-assed customs fee. It’s just simple common sense.
Like you said Bob…there is a lot of ‘low-hanging fruit here’, but I never see the government there dealing with it in any kind of rational way. It’s like they know that they are sitting on a gold mine, but don’t want to open it for fear that somebody might make some money.
Hi rc – I disagee with the statement:
He can actually do a lot other than just advertising. For example, in systems that are not working (most) he can analyze and come up with new systems. He can institute training for restaurant and hotel staff. He can do a lot of things other than just advertising. I plan to address some of those things in coming articles.
Aside from this, though, I fully agree with what you are saying. The guided tours would be a big plus. Protect tourists from the nickel and dime artists… great!
Every country has airport fees, but in most countries the fees are built into ticket prices on the plane. As you say, they can be made invisible. A lot of people hate those airport fees, and don’t even realize that they pay the fees in the States or anywhere else too, they just pay it as part of the ticket price.
hey rc
Your right on the money. Also another thing that would help would be to allow foreigners to own land. That would bring alot more investment and tourists into the country, which would greatly help the unemployment problem. They should take after what malaysia is doing. There tourism is really growing.
Hey Bob,
What ever happened to the gambling casino idea? Turning Manila into a gambling destination like Macao or Hong Kong would bring in lots of revenue and promote tourism at the same time. The big casino’s can even foot the bill for the advertising.. I know the Philippines is a Christian nation, but I think It can be done in such a way as to limit its influence.
Or maybe we don’t want to promote more tourism…Lets just keep it a secret 🙂
Hi Hudson – I know that you are just ribbing a big… but a lot of foreigners say that seriously. I disagree strongly with the attitude. Yes, I would like to keep my little secret of Davao to myself… but by doing so, I would be saying that I want the people here to remain poor, to go without food and such, and not to have an enjoyable life. They need income here to support themselves. Tourism is one of the best ways to get the needed income and employment that is so badly needed here.
Hi Hudson – The idea, as far as I know, is still in the works. In my opinion, it will never happen, though, or if it happens it will be a half hearted stab at it. We shall see. I don’t think that there is opposition because of religion… the Philippines is a nation of gamblers after all.
Bob, I think that rather than pulling for Sec. Lim, you’ll have to get behind him & push. If he’s the same fellow who was a mayor of Manila, you’re going to have to push really hard! lol
Is this the same tourism rep. who said that The Philippines didn’t want back-pack travellers? When one thinks of all of the foreigners teaching ESL in Taiwan, Japan & South Korea – most who fit the “back-packer” description – and that every 6 months, or so, they take a couple of weeks vacation – often to Thailand & Vietnam – you’d think that he’d want to lure them to The RP for a couple of weeks, instead. Yes, it’d be like Fort Lauderdale or Cabo at spring break, but the resulting revenue would be significant.
Since first visiting Davao, I’ve hoped that a regular ferry service might one day be run from Indonesia to Davao so that the S.E. Asian travel circle would be complete. While tourism does bring with it some undesired issues, it is also an excellent driver of infrastructure improvements.
Tell you what, you keep pulling him & I’ll push!
Hi Mike – the Mayor of Manila is Alfredo Lim. The Tourism Secretary is Alberto Lim. Two different people. I don’t know if they are related, but as far as I know they are not.
It would not be my place to push him… it’s up the Filipinos to decide what to do as far as problems here are concerned. For me, I will make a few suggestions which Sec. Lim can pick up on if he wants, or he can go with his own ideas. Whatever he does, I hope he makes progress.
Yes, Lim did say that the Philippines does not want backpack tourists. Another of his unfortunate statements in my opinion. Right now, the Philippines needs any kind of tourist it can get. I keep hearing Lim say that he wants to go after the “high end market”. Frankly, I don’t think they high end travelers are interested in the Philippines, at least not at this time. Not a good statement to make, in my opinion.
I think you are right. While you can attract some “high end” tourists, there is something to be said for going for the largest groups. Could the Philippines become a tourist destination for middle class families? I don’t know, but that is a much larger group than either the backpackers or those high end folks.
Hi Tom – I think that the Philippines should start by welcoming the backpacking crowd that they seem to be dissing right now, then try to target that middle class tourist that you mention. Right now, the truth is that the Philippines attracts almost zero tourists… they main get balikbayan Filipinos, and foreigners who are married to Filipinas. Those are not real tourists.
Hi Bob
I agree with you on the backpacking crowd. But i think one of the top priorities should be safety of tourist. If tourists don’t feel safe there they will not come period. Example was the bus massacre in manila. You made some good points with your article. Good Job!
Bob:
You and I certainly agree on this point. The problem is that, outside of a VERY few world-class resorts, the country does not have anywhere near the infrastructure needed to even begin to attract the high end tourists.
Think of the competition: Monaco, Bali, Bora Bora, St. Barts, Aspen, Paris, Dubai, Miami. In these places, things like poverty are well shielded from public view, they have very high-end shopping, and tourists experience few, if any hassles. Through my career, I know all of these places very well…
The vast majority of resorts in the Philippines do not even check their email! Making a reservation online on PAL or Cebu Pacific is like pulling teeth, with credit card hassles and so on. The few truly 5 star resorts deal with these issues, but the downside is that places like Amanpulo really benefit the local economy only on a marginal level by providing a few local jobs and helping vendors: The tourists very seldom spend real money in the local economy once inside the resort. Remember my attempt at Pearl Farm and the difficulty you would have faced to meet there? They don’t want tourists to see things like begging. They want that captive audience inside the resort boundaries.
Gambling is an easy quick fix, but many, many places have found that the long term benefits are outweighed by the negatives.
High end market is all fine and good, but the real assets to this country are the people and the natural beauty. Promotion of these items is fine, but the big-shot tourism meccas all built their reputations over decades of stable government and building infrastructure. The unrest in Thailand over the last few years was incredibly damaging to the country’s tourism sector. Yes, people are starting to return, but the high end resorts there are hurting… Badly. Things like the hostage debacle only make the situation worse, and Mr. Lim’s response was absolutely pathetic.
I hope that he is successful in his mission, I really do. However, as long as the basic infrastructure is lacking, the upper class will not visit. The backpackers, retirees looking for bargains, and the sex tourists will continue to be the biggest tourist demographic. The reputation of the Philippines can easily be noted with a quick look around the comments on Trip Advisor or in the forums on Lonely Planet. Fix the big problems and the tourism will follow on its’ own.
Hi John Miele, and Bob, and all.
A simple start:
To get to/or from the main airport (Ninoy Aquino International MNL) west of the South Expressway one must get off and negotiate what seems to be miles if choked bumper to bumper traffic on secondary city streets to get to/ from the entrance.
Why?
VIRTUALLY ALL INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL (primary, secondary and terciary) CITIES PROVIDE DIRECT FREEWAY/EXPRESSWAY CONNECTIONS TO THE AIRPORT!
Why not in Manila, Philippines?
Infrastructure; why not get this the primary entrance to the Philippines corrected and made to be a welcoming landmark rather than subject guests, tourists and business persons to this egregious debacle of an entrance to this beautiful country!
IMHO, Jade
They do have a problem at NAIA, without a doubt. But, I would also say that in the past 20 years, NAIA has improved dramatically. Another solution would be to allow foreign flights to land in places like Cebu and Davao, taking some of the passenger load away from Manila. They are already doing this at Clark, and the number of flights there has increased dramatically in the past 5 years or so.
Bob,
I didn’t mean to be too strong on my response, but it got my goat.
But I do feel that this, the primary entrance to the Philippine nation should be made more welcoming to the visitor, first time, or otherwise.
Of course this is beyond the budget of the tourist department to accomplish.
The cost of this infrastructure improvement appears to be beyond the budget of the government, at least as I see it.
But on a long term basis the entrance to a country should display a welcoming entrance to the visitor. Not by dumping them into an unimproved section of suburban Manila.
But if the Philippine government is really serious about promoting tourism the powers that be must take a look in the mirror what they present to arrivals to the country. The squatters are there, this is a reality. But of course the tourist trade doesn’t want to have this presented to them upon their first moments of arrival to the country. There is time to learn and see of this later. There should be a long term plan to gradually lever up the tourist trade and hopefully as a result of success the general economy will improve. There is so much potential in the Philippines. Sadly it is not realized.
Jade
Hi Jade – I understand, and I agree with you in many respects. Think about this, though….
– Most of the people I know would rather fly directly to their destination rather than going through Manila.
– Airports in Davao, Cebu and Clark are already first class airports in nice areas of town. Clean, uncontested, no beggars.
– Total cost to the Philippines of allowing International flights to land at these International Class Airports which already exist would be ZERO.
– Passengers would be happier.
– Passengers would see a nicer arrival area when they arrive.
Nothing lost.. a lot gained. What’s wrong with this?
Hi John – I fully agree with you…. when you and I talked on the phone about your visit and you said you were going to stay at Pearl Farm, the thought in my head was “oh my… how am I possibly going to be able to go have dinner with him?” It is virtually impossible for a non-guest to go out to Pearl Farm and have dinner there. Other such resorts are much the same, no doubt.
Your last paragraph was so true, yet disheartening as well!
Bob:
I think the reason behind not allowing more international airline flights to land in other airports is the desire to protect the domestic routes of PAL and CP. More people flying into Manila means higher passenger loads on those flights by default.
Does it make sense?
No, as your recent article about PAL made evident. Will it change? Not likely, though I know a few foreign airlines have direct flights into those locations (Silk Air (Davao, Cebu), Mandarin (Laoag), Asiana (Clark), Cathay (Cebu).
The biggest improvement at the airport would be reliable shuttles (bus or trains) in the secure area between terminals and an express rail connection into Makati and Intramuros, much like airports in Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, and London have.
Hi John – I agree with you about passenger loads.. filling up planes of Cebu Pacific and PAL and such. But… it is clear that what is being done now is not working for the Philippines. Maybe it is working for PAL, but it certainly is not working for the country as a whole. I can’t tell you how many times I hear people telling me “I wish I could fly to Davao” or “I wish I could fly into Cebu” and such. Why not let the country try to make it easy for the passengers and the tourists instead of making it good for PAL. Lucio Tan will survive, without a doubt. I don’t think he will have trouble putting food on the table after a small problem like this one! 😆 Yeah, a few flights come to Davao, but you have to first fly to Singapore and such… more inconvenience. Time to make travel convenient for the traveler and try to attract more people here. And, my suggestion was primarily because Jade was saying that huge amounts of money needed to be spent to make NAIA nicer for those arriving in Manila. Well… as I told Jade, if you want to fly to the USA, there must be dozens of cities you can fly in to… you don’t have to fly to Los Angeles no matter where you are going. Why should a traveler going to Cagayan de Oro be forced to fly to Manila?
Just a suggestion.
Excellent point, John & Bob! I have actually considered spending a few days in Singapore, just so I could fly directly to Davao. By the time one adds up the costs of the extra flight from Manila to Davao & the taxi transfer between airports – as well I used to end up being stuck in Manila for a day due to flight schedule conflicts, which added accommodation/travel/meal costs – it really isn’t an unreasonable expense to stop at Singapore. Not that I dislike Manila, but it’d be nice to have a choice. Presently, it seems that the bureaucrats prefer the “All roads lead to Rome”(Manila) approach.
Hi Mike – Yes, Singapore is the only International point of entry directly in to Davao. It’s kind of out of the way for somebody coming from the West, though.
John Miele:
Re: your last paragraph.
I don’t want keep up this airport discourse forever, but I would like to ask you , in your extensive international travels, have you ever experienced in an international terminal such as NAIA, an access problem as severe as passengers encounter as found at NAIA? I have been to all of the airports you have mentioned and they all have user friendly access, in my opinion.
Thank You,
Jade
My wife now flatly refuses to fly into Manila! It’s just not gonna happen, and she would not fly with me if I insisted. Why? Because of the hassle. You cannot apparently get a taxi without being virtually robbed, the chancers and moneygrabbers all around frustrate the hell out of her. (Just a small gift Maaam, they apparently say). For me, it’s all part of the fun; I can ignore the persistent attempts to get money out of me; I carry my own suitcases and push my own trolleys; I take the official taxis, and I just relax and enjoy it.
How does she want to arrive in Davao, well via Singapore Airlines? It does make it all much easier, for sure, but it cuts out a lot of the fun and excitement for me. Last time, our plane landed in Cebu briefly, and we Davao passengers were all shepherded off and guided to a waiting area. No problem in that for me, except for the fact that at the other side of a fence we were not allowed to cross, you could see a lovely coffee shop…you could actually smell the coffee! What was available to us during our wait…from what I can remember it was a cardboard carton of juice and a packet of doritos. Bah! An easier route to Cebu/Davao perhaps, but still not the most tourist friendly experience. But maybe it’s all worth it for the stopover at Singapore Airport!
I’m like you, Jim. I don’t mind the detours, the crowd, the minor inconveniences associated with travel to a foreign place as these are all part of the local culture of the place you are visiting. For me, a great part of the fun of going on a vacation is the excitement of travel itself, not just to reach the intended destination as quickly and directly as one possibly can, but to travel in an unhurried way to be able to soak in every bit of experience along the way. This includes observing people from a different culture and local customs from up close. The peculiar sight, sound and smell that one finds upon arrival at NAIA is uniquely Filipino with which I am particularly very fond of. Without them, the Philippines would not be the same for me.
Jade: I’ve been in several… Mumbai is always “fun”, and Jakarta cn also be a real pain. I also can’t stand the airport in Amman, and in Europe, the Bucharest airport was like that. Mexico City was a pain until they recently clamped down.
Hello John,
I have one and probably final, possibly “half-baked” and most likely ignorant comment on the infrastructure/ground transportation problem at NAIA.
I have seen many helicopter landing pads on the roofs if the towering buildings in Makati. I have never seen a helicopter landing on one of these, or even one flying in the area or elsewhere. Could that not be used as a means of access to the airport? The infrastructure seems to be already in place for this to be utilized as such. Answering my own question… too expensive… parking… transportation hub nearby?
Just a thought,
Jade
Jade: The only ones I’ve seen using the helicopters were government officials. GMA was at NAIA one time I was flying out and it really created chaos (Though, I think they tend to use facilities at Villamor more often)… To be expected with the President and security and such.
The worst nof that type I remember was when I lived in Abu Dhabi and Dubya decided to pay a visit. Missed my flight because of him (They closed the airport access with troops about every 50 m the entire length of the road)… Let’s just say my feelings towards the US Presidency were rather graphically uttered that day (Worst part was that it was only a short flight to Doha, maybe 30 minutes in the air)
Bob,
I truly agree with you.
Now all I need to do is convince Daisy to move our house from Calamba, Laguna to Davao!
Ha! Ha!
I truly hope we will get down to your area in the future. You have dispelled any worry in our minds to undertake a journey to your ideal area of the country. Before we had always viewed Mindanao as a dangerous place. The usual reasons – unfamiliar places might be dangerous!
Thanks for your enlightening comments.
I still maintain NAIA access is an egregious debacle though. HE! HE!
Respectfully, Jade
Hi Jade – I think you misinterpreted my suggestion. What I am talking about has nothing to do with trying to get people to come to Davao! What I am saying is that right now there is basically one place where you must land if you are coming to the Philippines. A few flights go to other airports, but the vast majority of flights land at NAIA. That is like if every flight going to the USA had to land first in Los Angeles. Well, if you are going to the States, you can land in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit, Atlanta, New York, Washington DC, Seattle and lots of other places. Why not make it where passengers who are going to Cebu can actually fly to Cebu? Passengers going to General Santos should be able to fly to General Santos. Passengers going to Clark land at Clark, etc. It only makes sense. And, all of these airports are modern, clean and ready for International arrivals! If people want to come to Davao.. sure… but that’s not what I am driving at.
Aw Shucks, Bob,
I was only kidding, not misinterpreting. I was only interpreting the NAIA situation through the the tunnel vision of my personal situation. The house that Daisy and I built and own is located in Calamba, Laguna and that is where we are established, on her fathers family compound. It can’t be moved. This is about 40km south of NAIA. This is my only choice for an arrival/departure airport. I have been in and out of that problematic airport many times and would much rather be flying into the much less congested Mindinao air terminal. Ha! Ha!
About 30/40/50 years ago the national and international airlines discovered the concept of developing ‘hubs’. Before that direct flights were much more common. I’m sure you know this already. Much more efficient for the airlines, but more inconvenient for the passengers. This concept continues with the major airlines to this present day. Obviously creating excessive air traffic at key airports and bottlenecks. However the minor carriers have the opportunity to make use of the less used terminals for more direct flights. Too bad this is more or less limited to the minor airlines…
Amusingly, Jade
No problem, Jade. But, under my plan, probably at least 60% of passengers would be spared the poor conditions at NAIA. Unfortunately, for you, you would not, though. 😉
Hi Bob
I remember Lim saying when the HK hostages were being treated at the hospital and he was going to see them in the hospital saying I hope this will soon be forgotten or something very similar to that effect. I have lost any respect for him when he made that comment.
Hi neil – I fully agree…. Lim made some comments during that Hostage problem that were way off the mark in my opinion.
Hi Bob,
He he he….we did concur on this one before. He is a dolt for saying the things he says. He doesn’t want backpackers? Hello, Lonely Planet, Trip Advisor, Go Trekking etc. If backpackers don’t come, nobody will come. Ageing baby boomers are into back packing too. MBC is of course prestigious etc but as one friend (successful) businessman with office in Makati said, they like to think they run the country. As for Mr. Lim, I’m not sure if you know, he was a lobbyist for the US (airline industry). As for what to do first, revamp their website to make it inviting and user friendly. The last good one was during Gordon’s time – Wow Philippines. It sold the country.
Anyway, said enough. I’m just laughing here….Alex
Hi Alex – I was trying to remember who I had talked with regarding the backpacker thing… indeed, it was with you! Ha ha.. I had forgotten. It is so true, though, and a real mistake for the Secretary to say!
The Philippines has a huge tourist potential. First things first.
Attitude and Preparation.
It would be very appreciated if the Tourist Minister would firstly announce to the people of this country that we will be having guests coming over. Why? Well if your going to have guests the first thing you do is get your “house” in order. House in order refers to infrastructure and clean up the mess.
Secondly the attitude that overseas guests are “foreigners and aliens” is offensive, to me, anyway. If the Philippino really wants to believe they are the friendliest nation and really want the tourists dollars they should view the overseas guest as a friend (not just a foreign mobile ATM).
It is no secret if you appeal to the guest through his heart, he will gladly give you his wallet.
We went to a resort in Bohol, it was all good loved it but we had to send a guy to the city to buy bacon and eggs and coffee, then we cooked it ourselves so we could have breakfast at the resort……are you serious? Yep I can see high end tourist doing that.
If you really want something bad enough put all your effort into it, 100 million pesos ahahahahahahahaha, you joking me right?
Hi Boss – When I saw Lim on ANC last week, somebody e-mailed in with a question. They asked what they could to to help the DoT attract more tourists. Lim’s answer was short and sweet – clean up your neighborhood! Stop throwing trash on the ground. How true it is!
You had to buy food so you could eat breakfast at a resort? Oh my….. 🙁
Hi Bob,
I think dear Mr. Lim is slowly turning around. That “clean up your neighborhood” was exactly what Gordon said when he was Sec of Tourism. There’s a lots to do to create the proper environment for tourism, and a lot of these are small little details that don’t need much.
Alex
Hi Alex – Yes, I remember when Dick Gordon pushed that, and I think it’s a good thing to keep it going!
Bob;
For years I thought the plastic shopping bag was this countries national flower.
Ugh… you mean it’s not? 😯
Wherever i go i find myself in the small business districts and I always find myself looking for a garbage can. I’ll shove a cigarette butt in my pocket before I’ll throw it on the ground. I used to pick up other peoples butts and I hated it. MORE TRASHCANS AND FINES FOR LITTERING. If they cant pay the fine assign them to a trash detail maybe 100 hours of picking up other peoples trash is the cure. They are fining in Manilla for smoking in open air I dont see The smoking as an eyesore, (though the diesels with black exhaust rolling out the tailpipe make me cough and do bother my eyes) I find trash all over the place a tragedy Polluting all these beautiful islands.
Hi Pete – In Davao, every single street corner in the entire city has multiple large garbage bins. The trash is emptied from these daily in most cases, or on lesser used bins they are emptied at least twice per week. There is no fee charged for garbage pickup from these bins or from homes in the city.
Funny you should mention that Anthony, four years ago I went to 5 travel agencies that had wall to wall brochures, I guess well over 700 between them yet not ONE brochure on the Philippines. On my fifth visit to a travel agency, I asked why can’t I find any printed info on the Philippines, the lady said quietly, “It’s not a destination of choice”.
Ha ha… I think that’s an understatement, Boss!
On reflection Sir Bob I think we were partly to blame, on check in the resort manager had insisted we pay for our 7 day stay upfront. We were annoyed at that request and we refused. We didn’t realise at the time that we were the only guests in the 10 room resort. On the second day we realised the resort didn’t have enough money to buy foodstuffs and beverages so we ended up paying the full amount upfront to help them out.
Ha ha… that makes it even worse!!
I always notice that when new cabinets are appointed with new administrations in the Phil the budgets somehow never really are used properly. Maybe by mis-speaking, intentions can be carried out in future months and years. I have never felt politicians are generally very honest people. The attitude of the poor in the Phil is a defeatist attitude of sorts. The poor dont mind telling a foreigner how corrupt the politicians really are. Well i guess we can all HOPE for the best. I hope things turn around for my adopted country but without classes for the youth about, Honesty, Trust, and other character building activities such as never lying to people, then i fear the Philippines is always going to be in the state that it is!! Sorry to sound so cynical but just my opinion.
Hi Anthony – I do hope for the best when it comes to tourism. Fact is, though, I have been hoping for a long time, but I see no improvement.
“Over the time that I have seen Lim on interview shows, I have seen him misspeak a number of times, so it’s not just a one time accident, but seems to be a pattern.” – Bob Martin
You mean like Michel Steele, the RNC Chair?
Seriously though, the Philippines does seem an oddball in Southeast Asia when it comes to attracting high-end tourism. I have yet to see a cruise ship that includes the Philippines on its itinerary. I know that the Holland America Line has scheduled stops in Singapore and Vietnam, but not the Philippines.
Someone mentioned Lim’s previous connection with U.S. airlines. Perhaps he could put together a charter package that would include air fare from North America or Europe directly to Manila as the first stop, hotel accommodations with meals at a high-end hotel, and guided tours in Manila: Intramuros and Corregidor, then by domestic flight to Baguio with a guided tour of the Banaue rice terraces and cultural showcases nearby, thence to Batanes by charter buses, and back to Baguio via Vigan, and back to Manila.
Sounds good so far? Wait until the NPA hears about those charter buses carrying rich tourists as they merrily trundle along NPA-infested highways of northern Philippines. LOL
US politics really has no place here.
Not the focus of the message. The NPA was, and it was addressed correctly by Bryan G.
I was not talking about your NPA point. You started off by talking about Michael Steele. That really has no place here on LiP.
Got it, Bob. Sorry. Of course, I was just trying be funny when I made that comment about Michael Steele. I thought I’d get a laugh out of you, but I was mistaken. As they say,
Whoops, the message got sent before I was ready to send it. What I was saying was, As they say, “Magbiro ka sa lasing, hwag lang sa bagong gising” (Loosely translated: You can joke with a drunk, but not one who just woke up)
Ah, so now you are classifying me as a drunk, or a drunk who has just woken up? 😯
Personally, I see nothing funny about belittling people. To each his own.
Hahaha, the translation is skewed somehow. It’s not what you think, Bob. It means you can joke with a drunk, but do not joke with someone who just woke up.
The NPA does not target tourists as they bring income into the areas where they exist – remember that they themselves are local residents who benefit from tourism.I have been in a jeepney stopped by the NPA and was treated with good manners and given no reason to be apprehensive.
Good point, Bryan!
Exactly, Bryan. The NPA has come out and said that they do not want to be place on the US terrorist watch list, and that is one reason that they avoid causing any problems for foreigners.
They get labelled “communists”, but in truth I think they are just people who got fed up with the oppression that rural people in the provinces suffer from.We have had maids from places with active NPA and when asked who they feared most it was not the so called terrorists.I was told that when a landowner treated his people badly he would be given a warning – which was usually sufficient otherwise he would be paid a visit which could be bad for his health.
Here’s hoping!
Indeed!
I think Philippines best chance is to do what Mexico has done. No one wants to go visit Mexico but everyone wants to vacation in Acapulco or maybe even Tijuana. When Americans think of Acapulco they think of party and drinking, vacations. When they think Mexico they see gun runners and drug dealers. Its all in how people see the country. Cebu and Borcay are kind of like Acapulco and Tijuana in that they are somewhat separated from the rest of the country. Yes it sucks for the rest of the Philippines but hey, what can i say I didnt have anything to do with how people view Mexico or the Philippines.
What needs to be done is change how people view the country. Now that’s gona take far more then 2M bucks. Its gona take fixing the infrastructure to be at par or better then where the tourist came from. Cleanliness is very important to most tourists and there are many parts of the Philippines that arnt so clean. Just asking these people to see the beauty behind the weathered buildings will not cut it.
And safty, tourists must feel safe at all times. Philippines is far safer then a lot of vacation destinations in Asia and that needs to be announced. some 300 tourists are killed in a unnamed Asian vacation destination a year and Philippines has very few if any at times.
Dont get me wrong, I love the Philippines but im not a tourist with cash to blow and in need of perfection> I can see the beauty beyond the peeling paint.
In my opinion, I would suggest focusing on the main problems and forget about tourists for now, spend that 2M on fixing the economic problems instead of trying to build a wall around the shanty towns in Manila.
Hi Jack – I think there is a chance to pull out some markets and promote them, and I fully agree with you in regards to Mexico.
Hi Bob- You may recall earlier this year I predicted the Aussie doller may reach parity with the U.S $, and it now looks like it may happen as we have hit 97 cents today which means we now get almost 43 PHP for 1 AUD. So what has this to do with tourism in the Philippines?
Well since our dollar is high many more Aussies are able to afford a holiday overseas cheaper than at home, so we are being flooded with package deals for holidays in Fiji, Vanuatu, Noumua etc in the south pacific and Bali, Thailand, Malaysia etc on the asian side. These ads are in our newspapers, on television and on our internet sites, and what about the Philippines? NOTHING ! No you have to search for information for traveling to R.P. Even the travel agencies seem bewildered when you enquire and have to shuffle stuff around to find any printed information. Then theres the value for money issue. Not many airlines offer good discounts on airfares as I believe there is not much incentive as it seems they feel that someone who is going to travel to the Philippines will do so regardless. And lastly for a tourist who is not familiar with the R.P or has contacts there, and stays at the big resort hotels will be charged exorbitant prices by local standards. Oh, and the government in Aus still does not have a favorable travel advsory for the Philippines.
Anyway, I hope the future for the Philippines and the tourism industry will grow.
Hi Anthony – What a shame that they don’t even have any brochures for the Philippines. Basically the Philippines is not really doing any advertising for tourism right now…. especially compared to some of the other countries you mentioned!
For sure, Leon!
There are places in the Philippines the equal of anywhere in the world – the problem is few people outside the Philippines know about them.Frankly,Manila has no chance of becoming a world class destination due solely to the difficulty of moving around – the traffic situation is appaling.Tourists do not want to spend hours sitting in traffic jams – the shopping in my opinion is a huge asset -some of the malls are world class with very competitive prices but if the customers cannot easily move from place to place without stress then it is of no benefit.There appears to be no control of the tourist industry,no overall plan,no tax benefits or subsidies for investment. Places that are a success get choked to death by uncontrolled exploitation – look at some parts of Puerto Gallera which a few years ago were lovely places to visit now are a completely overcrowded mess.Tourist projects get started but never seem to come to fruition – give foreign companies concessions to come in and develop resorts – as in Cuba for example as they have the expertise.If the present situation of no majority ownership by foreign companies continues there is no hope for any improvement as the investment money does not exist.I have recently spent time in Bolinao and Hundred Islands – beautiful places.Hundred Islands has no local hotels or resorts of anywhere near the required standard,we had to rent a house for”itinerant travellers” whatever that might be! Hundred Islands has the potential to be a world class destination, but unfortunately this potential will never be fulfilled unless there is a radical re-think of government policies, and in the last25 years I cannot remember any Philippine government ever promoting any kind of change -radical or otherwise.There is a total lack of decision making capability – a complete lack of ability to face a problem head on and tackle it – everything is delayed and postponed until the problem just disappears.The fear of failure overrides every other consideration in the Philippines to such an extent that it stifles all decision making and innovation.To write this has saddened me but as a kind of resident tourist I can only write about the experiences that I have had.The good places I have been outnumber the bad but to see the potential being wasted angers me.The life of the rural population could be so much better with the proper development of the tourist industry.
Hi Bryan – I can’t disagree with anything you say. I fully agree that a big key to the problem would be solved by letting foreign corporations come in and have tourist related businesses here. I doubt that it will happen within our lifetimes though.
It would be easy to fix the tourism problem in the Philippines. All the government would have to do is make it easy for foreign corporations to own and operate resorts in the Philippines. They would provide the capital to build, the know how to operate properties that accomodate to tourists desires and the advertising and connections to bring tourists to their facilities. These changes would bring immense benefits to Philippinos by creating thousands of good paying jobs with benefits as opposed to the 6 month contract jobs they subsist on today.
Of course this would require changes in Philippine laws and open up commerce to corporations not owned by the ruling families so it will never happen.
See that nail? Nope, ya just hit it so hard you buried it out of sight!
How right…let professional operators do what they do best; just build in tax systems that mean the profits are fairly shared between the operators and the Philippine economy. Attracting tourists problem solved. Now, how to get the people to have more pride in their locality and clean it up?
Hi David – I feel that the allowing of foreign companies would be a step in the right direction… there are other things that would be required for tourism to flourish. Improved infrastructure is one. Cleaning up the country is another. I will be looking at others in future articles.
Perhaps, Mr. Lim should come up with a program that allows Citizens of the Philippines to cheaply travel their own country, as well, and encourage them to do so. I am constantly amazed at the lack of experience Filipinos have of travelling through The RP. Last year, at the age of 47 and having already travelled North America, Europe, The Middle East & Asia extensively, my wife visited Palawan for the first time. She described the area as breath-taking, a word I’ve never heard her use before. Still, when I read a forum member’s description of somewhere they’ve been, such as Bohol, I ask my wife about the area & she has no idea, has never been there.
I often ask Filipinos in Canada where in the Philippines they’ve travelled and, invariably, it is Manila & the area that they come from. As the majority of the Filipinos, here, seem to be from the Manila area, When I mention my time in Mindanao, they respond with statements such as,”Oh, that is such a dangerous place” and, “I’d never go there!” and ask me, “Weren’t you scared?” Not exactly comments that promote travel.
The Philippines does promote tourism on television in Canada, but it is on the multicultural channel, during Filipino program periods, which are probably not viewed by many non-Filipinos. When one understands that the Philippines is #3 on the list of countries of origin from which people migrate to Canada, one would expect greater promotion of such a wonderful place. Instead, Mexico – which is easily as dangerous, if not moreso – and Cuba earn the bulk of our winter vacation expenditures.
Mike, part of the the reason why many Filipinos rarely venture out of their provinces is because they do not have a reason to do so. The majority will leave the province but only to go to Manila to look for jobs, attend school or seek medical care. That’s about it. This is the reason why most Filipinos you’ve met say they are from Manila. Needless to say, Manila is the business and educational center, that is why Filipinos are drawn to it. Rarely will you find a Filipino from Luzon, for example, who will go to Mindanao, just for the sake of travel. It is just not in the Filipino psyche to visit other places in the Philippines for enjoyment’s sake. If they had the money, they are more inclined to travel overseas.
I appreciate what you’re saying, John. But times change, as do attitudes, and the government needs to encourage this. As I and my siblings have travelled much more than our parents, My Filipino nieces & nephews have travelled abroad much more than theirs’. In North America, as you know, we take vacations, often to other areas, usually on a yearly basis.
If the Philippine Government gave a credit of “x” pesos per person per year for travel of “x” kilometers or more, I wonder if that wouldn’t be encouragement enough for people to travel. Maybe the gov. could lease the Aboitiz ferries for a month or two each year & allow free passage.(Limiting the travellers per trip to a safe number, for a change)
Let’s face it, The RP doesn’t have much in the way of exploitable natural resources – not to the level we have in North America, anyway – but, they have manpower & beaches that rival anywhere in the world. Though I am not a fan of commercialization of the beach areas(I don’t want to share – lol), I believe that the Philippines would best benefit by becoming another Tahiti/Fiji/Hawaii/Cancun/whatever. Correct me if I am wrong, but I’ll bet that there is much less unemployment in Borocay(at least when at it’s peak), than on Samal Island. But, there is so much more to see & talk about in The RP, and people have to experience these things to be excited about sharing them with tourists. Anyway, that’s my long-winded thoughts on the subject.
Gee, that’s strange, the first paragraph of my response disappeared. Just saying that I agree with what you’re saying, John, but I believe that people need incentive to travel around their country.
Hello John & Mike, true, it’s not in the psyche of Filipinos to travel around the Phil. There is a word for that–gallivanting, a luxury that is not available for most Filipinos. For most, the only time they leave home is when they leave for abroad to work. My parents never left Luzon. Worse, between their respective provinces and Manila, that’s about the only place in Luzon, they have been to. Having grown in Manila, I was curious to see the provinces. I think I did very well in exploring the Phil at least before I left.
People in my generations have done better than our parents. I see my fB friends doing a lot of traveling in the country.
Balikbayans help domestic tourism. They may not use the 5 star hotels but they certainly have entourage w/ them when they travel.
The majority Pinoys in my social circle here have traveled domestically – I think it’s increasing among Filipinos in general. However, that’s not improving the balance of trade that foreign visitors would provide.
One thing I’ve noticed also is younger balikbayans are traveling around country, as opposed to “just” visiting their family.
Hi Mike – During GMA’s Administration she tried a lot of things to promote domestic tourism, but I don’t think it really did well.
What little I’ve read about the guy, I find troubling.
He’s already drawn criticism for targeting “high end tourists” which means more resort development, spending & tighter competition from better established neighbors. He’ll be jumping in late in the game.
Aiming for the upmarket. This is his main strategy.
He’s on record for frowning on backpacking tourists saying that “backpackers leave waste.”
http://the-diplomat.com/new-emissary/2010/07/14/philippine-travel-talk/
Well, that just sounds to me as just another rich Filipino official detached from the truth. I want my gov’t official thinking creative & innovative.
He sounds like a guy who’d love a gaudy Samal bridge instead of considering the charm of a bangka or ferry ride.
Backpacking tourism is a huge market & still up for grabs. It also creates less stress on the natural resources, not to mention a lower ad budget. Plus, these tourists are more likely to try out bare bones accommodations (which admittedly is ubiquitous in the Philippines).
Ignoring the youth market that will also pay off in the future as these tourists grow older, more affluent & more likely to return is not a sound strategy.
I’m not holding my breath for this one.
I tend to agree with you Macky.
Before you can attract high end tourists,you need good infrastructure,clean enviroment,and enforced laws that make it reasonably safe.
That works in Davao City,maybe he should take a fact finding visit.
regards,Chas.
Hi macky – I agree, and I feel that the Philippines could be a backpacker’s paradise. Island hopping on bangkas with nothing buy yourself and a small backpack.. sleeping on the beaches…. there is a lot to offer here for a backpacker. But, of course, we would not want that! 😯
Backpackers are sort of a curiosity in the Phil. If they’re not wearing sandals, they wear flip flops exposing their muddy feet (but they get inside the malls while we can’t get in if we’re just wearing chinelas).
Come on down to Gensan – you’ll get in the malls with tsinellas – we’re laid back down here, and can use your tourist dollars 😉
No problem wearing tsinelas in any mall in Davao, Roy! Come down here for a visit and enjoy a more laid back lifestyle!
Bob;
No tsinelas in a mall? That must be a Manila rule, outside Manila we are allowed to use them, weddings & funerals are the few times I wear shoes. Oh the Casino’s here in Olongapo require shoes, but then the never get any of my money.
Tsinelas in the mall is no problem in Davao, Paul! I rarely wear shoes myself… for me, I usually put on my comfortable crocs when I go out. Like you say, weddings or funerals are about the only times that I wear “real shoes” haha..
tsinelas in a mall. you mean like the ones i wear everyday & when i go out to the malls & hotels? — well, except the gym. it’s a safety thing 🙂
there’s also a local backpacker culture here in davao. it helps having mt apo nearby. hasn’t hurt the city’s image really. and you don’t even want to know how much the locals are spending for their dear tsinelas.
I’m with you all the way, Macky!
W/c they now call havaiannas? 🙂
RE chinelas being banned inside the malls except “foreigners”, I guess that is true in Manila malls, at least up until I left.
ops..it should read …except for foreigners…
havs, flojos, northface… too many. i just buy mine good, comfy & local (called tribu or kurv. it’s a davao brand gone international started by a friend. look it up).
not trying to jump on ya, roy…
but i was in manila 3 times last month (long story), and i was wearing tsinelas to every mall i visited (glorietta, sm & the fort… there’s a 4th..promenade?… they all start looking the same after a while). and i guarantee you i look quite local or at least i hope do.
What a huge topic – and what to say that has not been said before. Some scattered points:
1. Twenty years ago I was at a Philippine National Day party in Canada and the consul from the consulate in Toronto was the guest speaker. He showed a movie promoting tourism in the Philippines. Afterward, I asked him who the target market for the movie was and what was its purpose. “Oh, to get up scale tourists to come to the Philippines,” he replied. “Does anything jump out at you when you watch the movie?” Long pause. “Did you notice that every time the movie shows a white man he is accompanied by a beautiful Filipina arm in arm? What are you trying to promote?”
2. If you substract balikbayans, foreign husbands of Filipina, retirees traveling as tourists, businessmen who check off tourist rather than run the risk to be asked for a work visa, and sex tourists what is left? NOT counting beach tourists, how many genuine tourists have you all ever met here? I have met three: a German who comes here three months per year; and an American couple. that’s it. Pretty low base, huh?
3. Backpackers generally turn into upper end tourists if you give them a good first experience and they get older, as most do.
4. Hotels in Manila and Cebu have NO tourist infrastructure as in day tours of any kind that I can see.
5. On another blog, I posted a question: “Recommend any hotel or tourist spot that is really unique and worth seeing.” or something to that effect. Almost NO responses. Here too when I posted asking aobut Agusan Marshes. Finally, I dug some out: $500/day for me, my wife and our three children. I’m not a backpacker, but . . . .
6. Instead of criticizing Sec. Lim, I think we should be commiserating with him. I would not want his job. It’s and impossible one.
Hi Don – #1… Ha ha ha… #2… Exactly!!! Basically, there are no real tourists coming to the Philippines. #3…. yes, in their young days they are backpackers, 20 years later they are the high end people who want to go back and relive that adventure from their younger days! #4… I’ve never seen it either. #5… Agusan Marsh is a nice attraction, not sure why you got no, or few, replies. #6… No job is impossible, but this is a tough one without a doubt!
Listen, my opinion might be a bit different, but since I live in America and mainly just travel to the Philippines (although I have lived there) I think I see the Philippines tourism deal a little differently than people that live there all the time.
Here is the deal…there is NOTHING fancy needed to get people to the Philippines. NO special websites, no special guides, none of that.
The thing that HAS to be done is get the word out about the Philippines. As an example, as I write this I am sitting at my favorite bar having a heckuva good steak dinner. A lot of the people know me here and I told them I was leaving this coming Monday for my trip to the Philppines.
Some of them looked at me like I had four eyes and two mouths. They had NO idea where the Philippines was. They had no idea of the beauty of the Philippines. They had no idea how nice most of the people of the Philippines are. They had no idea you can vacation there fairly inexpensively compared to other countries.
They HAD NO IDEA!! What they did have an idea about was the danger of the Philippines. That simply must be changed. And the ONLY way that is to be changed is for the Philippines to start educating the world about their country, the people, the beauty. It really is that simple.
I flew over with a Boy Scout organization in June of 2009. I was not part of that organization but I was flying with them and I talked to many of them on the plane and in South Korea. NONE of them really knew what to expect or what they were getting into.
A few weeks later on my trip back to America I was flying with about six of them coming back. ALL of them said they loved their trip and wanted to come back. EVERY one of them said they really did not know anything about the Philippines, but now since they had been there they were “in love with the people and the country.” This is a common sentiment of many people.
There are commercials on TV for India, for Thailand, for Malaysia and other countries…..BUT NOTHING for the Philippines. Most people have NO idea how terrific the Philippines can be.
Mr. Lim needs to do ONE thing….GET THE WORD OUT!!!
Oh and one more thing needs to happen…the people of the Philippines need to understand that tourism could be HUGE for their country. So when foreigners do come, they need to be treated well. For the most part they are, but it is NOT ok for filipinos to think that dirty hotel rooms, bad service at the check in, and things like that are good. IT IS NOT GOOD!!
If the Philippine government gets the word out about the Philippines and then does a really good job of showcasing their country when the tourist get here…everything will be fine.
I find it amazing that sooooooooooooooo many more people know about Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other countries….but know almost NOTHING about the Philippines.
KISS….keep it simple stupid. This is not rocket science Mr. Lim.
Hi Todd – I think you are right and wrong. You are wrong that the word is not out. The word is out… but it’s the wrong word. The word is that it is dangerous here, and people are scared to come here. Lim needs to change it so that people know the good stuff instead of the danger, which most of the time is only imagined anyway.
There are things that need to be fixed, though. It’s very hard to book a hotel room or a flight over the internet. That needs fixing. Lots of things need fixing.. but getting the word out is important. Problem is that the entire budget for the DoT is $2M. It’s hard to get the word out with that amount.
Hi Bob and Todd, In fairness, I believe that the former Tourism Secretary, Ace Durano did try to do that in some European countries with some limited sucess. As you said though, there are a lot of things to be fixed as far as image, and the basics of improving hotel and flight bookings etc. in order for this type of outreach to work and bring tourists into the country.
Hi queenie – I think that Durano did a good job with the resources he was given. He certainly was a very positive supporter of the Philippines and it came across every time I saw him. Another person that I thought was excellent was Dick Gordon. When it comes down to it, though… while incremental improvements have been made, there still is a lack of real tourists in the Philippines.
@John Reyes, I like your attitude on traveling: it’s not just the destination but the journey itself.
@John Miele, pls share us more about Mumbai being “fun.”
You do understand what I’m talking about, and that’s good, Roy. The excitement about travelling begins from the time I start packing my suitcase and it just builds up incrementally until I reach my destination, whether visiting the Philippines, or going on a cruise. I’d say that the fun part of any vacation is split even between the journey itself and the actual destination.
On one of my visits to the Philippines, we had a lay-over of a couple of hours in Seoul. The waiting area was jam-packed with OFWs returning home from the Middle East. Up to that time, I had never personally met an OFW on his/her way home. I can see excitement written all over their faces as they rummaged through their suitcases to make sure the pasalubongs were still in one piece and as they prepare to meet their loved ones (primping, applying lipstick) in another 4 to 5 hours. My heart went out to the guy sitting next to me who had his face glued to the window in concentrated anticipation as the plane hovered over Manila. Then there was the sudden burst of applause as the plane touched down on Philippine soil.
Observing little things like this during a lesiurely travel makes a vacation that much more interesting to me….
Hi Roy and John, I agree that part of the travel is in the getting there–the observations, minor mishaps and funny happenings that make it richer and more memorable. I’m sure many would disagree, but it’s all relative I guess:)
John–I’m a people watcher myself, and love to observe the many travelers in Hong Kong airport on their way to Cebu on Cathay Pacific. Many times there are lively conversations between passengers which can be fun to watch and sometimes engage in. I have to say that that would be me glued to the window because no matter how many times I’ve seen it, I always get a rush witnessing the descent into Mactan airport!
Most career oriented Americans can string two consecutive weeks vacation at best. Most tend to be “connected” to work even when on vacation. If wanting to attract US visitors, both of these factors strongly suggest backpackers.
That’s true, Gary. Many have trouble even getting one week away from work! It’s also another reason why direct flights to multiple Philippine Cities would make a lot of sense.
I’ve heard that before. It’s not just the Philippines that needs to change it’s culture really. Anything less than three weeks is not effective as a “vacation” from work. Psychologically, apparently, it takes a full fortnight for the mind to detatch itself from the work routine before enjoyment and recuperation can begin. I used to have this problem too, of course, but then I decided to take charge of my own life, and vacations are one month now. Of course, that’s possibly why I ended up self-employed, but I learned in the Middle East that the business still survives when you let them go for a month, and they come back really refreshed.
Hi Jim – Unfortunately, in today’s fast paced world, I don’t see the culture of shorter vacation times changing.
I’m afraid you are right Bob. But I don’t blame the employers, it’s the employees themselves who are so highly strung and want to be indispensable, and are afraid that someone will discover while they are away that they are not; or worse, that their absence wasn’t noticed at all! C’est la vie! 🙂
Ha ha… that last line is particularly true, I think, Jim! 😆
Very interesting comments about what can be done to bring tourist here. There was recently an article written in our local paper that was very interesting about why tourist skip the RP. I have attached the article it may be interesting reading to the group I think the writer had more of a handle on what needs to be done then the current Tourist Secretary
Article
Why tourists skip RP
By Stanley Palisada
We claim to be a tropical paradise where natural beauty is boundlessly spread over 7,107 islands. We beckon tourists to our historical sites. We ask them to sample our culture, which we describe as “a delightful blend of east and west” and promise them “more than the usual” fun and excitement. Beyond beaches and seafood we even dabble in medical tourism and ecotourism. If anything, our reputation as the world’s friendliest nation is reason enough to spark an invasion of global sightseers.
The Philippines, an English-speaking nation spells ease for most tourists. In Switzerland, Japan or China, they’d be lucky to get their message across using hand signs or mental telepathy if they don’t speak the language.
Ours is a nation where sins are not taxed despite our staunch Catholic leanings. Tourists can get drunk for less than 3 dollars as liquor costs like basic commodity. They can smoke Marlboros for about 60 US cents while in Singapore the same pack costs 3 dollars and can only be puffed in designated areas lest one is agreeable to a 500-dollar fine. In the Philippines, tourists can shop to their hearts’ content in malls and stores that are perennially on sale and teeming with wares, whether branded or fake.
With what it has to offer in rock-bottom affordability, the Philippines would have been a tourist’s haven in Asia’s heartland. But it’s not and it has never been. Instead they go to Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore.
Malaysia, which in 2009 landed in the world’s top 10 destinations according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN-WTO), hit an all-time high in tourist arrivals and receipts. It is now the ninth top country visited by tourists (France, USA, Spain, China, Italy, UK, Turkey, Germany, Malaysia, and Mexico respectively) and one of only two Asian countries on the list. RP is nowhere in sight even in the next 10.
When speaking total Asia, the Philippines is pushed back further as heavy weights China, India, Japan and Korea rule as destinations. RP rests slightly above war-torn and underdeveloped Cambodia, Laos or Sri Lanka.
Since the 1990’s our tourism ranking has been southbound. The Philippines used to be the fifth top destination in Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and RP) but according to a study by the Pacific Asia Travel Association by year 2000, Vietnam had seized the fifth spot. It has been downhill for RP as travelers just skipped this pearl of the orient for some reason.
According to the Philippine Institute of Development Studies in its publication, “Sustainable Tourism, the challenges for the Philippines” a number of stumbling blocks resulted in Philippine tourism’s failure to launch:
Safety and Security. Tourists’ perceptions of conflict in the southern provinces and the recurring travel advisories issued by their respective governments weighed down on the country’s image. Visitors also look for safety even in the urban areas and Metro Manila does not exude peace or order so far.
Low Capacity and Accessibility Problems. We may have cheaper hotels and resorts but an APEC survey implies these alone will not entice tourists to come. Limited rooms and ground transport deficiencies hinder travel. Many hotels in the provinces lack amenities while some of the country’s destinations are almost inaccessible due to bad roads, poor transport facilities and safety hazards.
Limited Flights. Flying into the Philippines is also too much for travelers making the most of a short vacation. There are barely direct flights to RP from Europe or the US. Most flights have stops in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan or Seoul making travel time-consuming and inconvenient. Direct flights via open skies could be the boost RP tourism badly needs.
Lack of Qualified Manpower. Manpower training is also essential. The country needs a workforce that’s competent and world-class. All the qualified ones have left the country. Even in the hospitality and service industry, there is brain drain.
Sustainable Tourism Through Preservation Of The Environment. Tourism and the preservation of the environment should go hand in hand. While infrastructure brings in more visitors, it is crucial that the environment is preserved for it defines the destination.
A bitter lesson for the Philippines over a decade ago is courtesy of Boracay Island, whose resort expansion along the white beach resulted in Coli form bacteria contamination. Many businesses were left high and dry for a while as it scared away tourists. May this be a grim reminder of just how fragile the ecosystem is and how irresponsible expansion could easily kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
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Today is World Tourism Day with a theme “Tourism and Biodiversity.” In line with 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity, nations are encouraged to embark on Sustainable Tourism.
Sustainable Tourism raises awareness among tourists and local communities of the importance of biodiversity. The UN-WTO urges governments to use part of the income generated by tourism for nature conservation.
Efforts to protect biodiversity are necessary as local economies depend on it.*
Hi Tom – Because of copyright/legal issues, I ask that full articles not be posted in the comments. Better to post a link to the article online. If the article is not available online, then I suppose it is best to post a portion of the article, under the fair use clause in copyright law.
That said, the article has a lot of things in it that are right on the mark. If we, as foreigners say these things, we are accused of bad mouthing the Philippines and such. I want the Philippines to attract more tourism and create more jobs for Filipinos. But, we are not on the right track now. If the country really thinks over the issues in the article, perhaps it could set things right.
Hi Bob, (posting from Knoxville, TN), another contributing factor is the scattered island that requires transfer and question would be, which island to develop. Noticed that most of the countries mentioned that have successful tourism “land and tour” situation whereby Philippines have transportation problem itself from island to island. Boracay is not a well-planned resort compare to other tourism resort like Cancun. Last April, I was in Cancun for 4 days in an inclusive resort and everything was flawless and wishing Boracay is like that well some of the high end are okay). No airport fee, smooth custom processing, transportation to the resort was waiting outside and no “tambay” and trained Customer oriented resort workers. I was just in Boracay 60 days before that so I could compare and see the difference. I wish Boracay was still the same as it was during the ’70s.
BTW, while at Cancun, I met a stately Filipino gentleman visiting the US in California and the daughter took the couple to Cancun. This gentleman mentioned that he is from the same place as Sec Durano and that he wish Sec Durano would send a team to observe how Cancun market, and operate their tourism industry.
Mars
Hi Mars – On the road again? You certainly get around!
I enjoyed hearing about your new found friend in Cancun! It sounds like he had some ideas!
Hi Bob, yeah, did a circuitous drive thru GA and I-26/I-40 to Knoxville to see my youngest daughter another 7 hour drive. Actually going to a place in TN called Waynesboro which is a hole in the wall, another 5 hour place from knoxville and just southwest of Nashville. I think the gentleman that I met is from Davao or where ever is the hometown of Sec Durano, because he also mentioned the Duterte family. Good Day.
Mars
Hi Mars, and Bob, Sec. Durano’s hometown is Danao, Cebu.
Hi Mars – Former Sec. Durano is actually from Cebu. His family, however, has holdings in the Marilog district of Davao, over near the border with Bukidnon.