Travel and Tourism Industry - Compiled Threads [Archive] - Page 10

garzland

April 12th, 2007, 04:35 PM

Tour Manila on the 'King of the Road'

There's another way to see the country's premier cities - and that is on a jeepney.

The Department of Tourism recently endorsed Hop On, Hop Off, a sight-seeing tour program which takes the visitor around Manila, Makati and Eastwood City aboard a colorful jeepney, the Philippines' so-called ''king of the road.''

An oversized version of the US military jeep, the sight-seeing jeepney is flamboyantly adorned to ply selected routes, loading and unloading passengers at designated stops.

In Hop On, Hop Off, a passenger pays P300 for a whole day ride-all-you can trip, giving local and foreign tourists the convinience to do the rounds of the entertainment, shopping, cultural, historical spots from Wednesday to Sunday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

The 1.5-million peso program operates three comfortable 21-seater, air-conditioned units, complete with karaoke machines. A Filipiniana–dressed tour guide accompanies every trip.

The idea was initiated by AJ Pangilinan and Clang Garcia, Hop On, Hop Off CEO and managing director respectively, to provide accessible and tourist-friendly day-tour service while promoting the jeepney as a national icon and as a part of the Filipino heritage. They teamed up with Francisco Motors, a leading jeepney manufacturer, to custom-build the jumbo jeepneys which measure more than eight feet high.

Hop On, Hop Off jeepneys will have regular routes within city limits from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to the respective tourists' hotels

In between, the trip will hit tourist spots in Manila such as the Orchidarium, Coconut Palace, the National Museum, the Walled City of Intramuros, the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex, SM Mall of Asia. In Makati, the route includes Ayala Museum, Ayala Center, among others.

A second phase is being planned to include city tour links to nearby destinations like Tagaytay, Clark and Subic, predicting to generate jobs for drivers, tour guides, and operations staff, and boost the business of program partners like hotels, airports, restaurants, museums, malls, spas and other tourism establishments.

The Hop On, Hop Off fever is all over some 60 countries and the Philippines is the latest one to catch it.

OtAkAw

April 12th, 2007, 06:30 PM

^^That's a really nice idea! It's about time that we flex the potentials of our country's "assets".

IsaRic

April 13th, 2007, 05:24 AM

Hmmm... im thinking that wouldnt be that good for your lungs. Thats if the jeep has fully is not fully sealed with windows... lol.

Espma

April 13th, 2007, 01:22 PM

^^ummm I would assume the windows will be closed since it has been stated that that the jumbo jeepneys are actually air conditioned, no??

flymordecai

April 13th, 2007, 01:36 PM

Interesting tour around Manila. And good news about the renewed diving interest for the Philippines.

With the continuous push of the Department of Tourism, I think we will see their 3 million+ tourist target reached. Good for them! Their hard work and promotion will pay off.

boju

April 14th, 2007, 02:13 AM

World's Best Beaches
as voted by Yahoo users

1. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
2. Miami, Florida
3. Cancun, Mexico
4. Kaanapali, Hawaii
5. Honolulu, Hawaii
6. San Diego, California
7. Boracay Island, Philippines
8. Key West, Florida
9. Sydney, Australia
10. Santa Barbara, California

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-promo-13243343;_ylt=ApeXw4sQewkk1zJg6TtLGpOhpYMA

Marami kasing Pinoy internet users kaya marami ring Pinoy ang bomoto sa kanyang sariling beach as well as the other countries presented there halatang maraming internet users ang mga yan kaya top sila....

Lili

April 16th, 2007, 03:37 AM

Hey people:

If you have travel videos or photos of your travels in the Philippines, you may want to share them in the Travel Channel. It might be one way to showcase the country. Who knows? It might be shown on TV in the Travel Channel. You might even be discovered for a hosting gig. ;)

Here is the website to get more info: http://travel.discovery.com/share/share.html

venntro

April 16th, 2007, 05:47 AM

The Russians are coming!! They will be a big boost for RP tourism. We should promote our beaches because we have better beaches than Malaysia and Thailand combined!

RP, Russian traders eye
creation of business council

By Max V. de Leon
Reporter

FILIPINO and Russian businessmen are looking at creating a business council that would take the lead in future efforts to heighten bilateral trade and investments between the two countries.

Samie Lim, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), said this was one of the topics that they discussed with the party of newly appointed Russian ambassador to Manila, Vitaly Y. Vorobiev, in their meeting over the weekend.

Lim said Russian Embassy’s Second Secretary (Economic) Evgeny Mitrofanov will help facilitate the networking between the PCCI and its equivalent organization in Russia.

“As soon as it’s set up, this council will further explore trade and investment promotion between the two countries,” Lim said.

PCCI, he said, has been working closely with foreign councils and missions to bring about a healthier investment climate in the country and at the same time get steady partners in promoting the exchange of goods and capital with different economies.

For Russia, Lim said, PCCI will actively promote Philippine products such as electronics, sportswear, jewelry and cordage products, among many others.

Currently, Russia accounts for only 0.05 percent of the Philippines’ $46.98-billion annual export bill.

The Philippine products exported to Russia are mainly carrageenan (seaweed), desiccated coconut, bananas, pineapples, coconut oil and banana chips.

Russia, meanwhile, is a leader in oil and gas, and a top seller of timbers and metals to other countries.

“The potential of doing business with Russia is huge, and it is simply waiting to be properly tapped and explored,” Lim said.

The Russian Federation has a territory of 17,075,400 square kilometers and a population of 142,400,000, according to 2006 estimates.

Lim said that tourism is another area waiting to be explored by the two countries.

Malaysia and Thailand currently play host to a much sizeable number of tourists coming from Russia, but the PCCI believes that with improved talks with its Russian counterparts, the Philippines may very well soon be a leading destination for Russian tourists seeking warmer climates in Southeast Asia.

venntro

April 16th, 2007, 05:51 AM

Marami kasing Pinoy internet users kaya marami ring Pinoy ang bomoto sa kanyang sariling beach as well as the other countries presented there halatang maraming internet users ang mga yan kaya top sila....

We have to take advantage of our being top internet users. I remember that for several consecutive years, our beauty contestants in the Miss Universe and Miss World pageants got the top internet votes because of our propensity to use the internet and mobile phones. So we should start flooding the internet with more votes on our tourist destinations so we can promote the country. We may not have the budget like that of Malaysia and Thailand in terms of tourism promotion but we have the manpower via the internet to promote our country.:banana:

venntro

April 16th, 2007, 05:53 AM

HK Airlines to mount daily flights at DMIA

By Jacob M. Cunanan
Correspondent

CLARK FREE PORT—Hong Kong Airlines Ltd, noting a substantial increase in passenger volume, has announced it will mount daily flights to and from the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) here starting April 20.

Hong Kong Airlines officials led by its managing director Li Qiang said the airlines’ operations at Clark had greatly improved just four months after his airlines initiated its first flight on December 10 last year.

Li said shuttle services between the DMIA and Manila will be made available to travelers for free in a bid to ease traveling via Clark.

Li also said his airlines is already finalizing plans for the grant of additional 10 kilos to the regular 20-kilo baggage allocation for inbound and outbound flights, which is 50-percent more than other airlines.

Hong Kong Airlines also serves food and refillable drinks.

The Hong Kong-Clark-Hong Kong flights of the airline have been popular among Filipino travelers visiting the tourist attractions of Hong Kong, such as Disneyland, which opened last year. A surge of Chinese tourists has also been noted at the Clark Free Port Zone and Angeles City.

CIAC president and chief executive officer Victor Jose Luciano welcomed the increase in flights of Hong Kong Airlines as a positive development.

“You came at the right time. Let me assure you that we will give our full support for the success of Hong Kong Airlines as more tourists mean more jobs are being created,” Luciano told Hong Kong Airlines officials during their inaugural flight.

Luciano said Hong Kong and the Philippines share “a long historical and cultural link” noting that “successful businessmen here are of Chinese ancestry.”

“People here love to travel and they love to go to Hong Kong,” Luciano said, adding there are around 20 million people in Central and Northern Luzon who now have an “easy and affordable gateway at Clark to visit Hong Kong.”

Luciano said the regular Hong Kong flights at the DMIA boost the country’s prospects of benefiting from the growing number of Chinese tourists estimated at about 40 million travelers a year.

Li will announce today, Monday, the aggressive expansion efforts of Hong Kong Airlines in the Philippines.

Li revealed Hong Kong Airlines will be the first international airline that will do multipoint destinations in the Philippines as part of its expansion program.

With its initial Hong Kong-Clark-Hong Kong route, other routes in the pipeline are flights from Hong Kong to Kalibo, Legazpi, Bohol, Davao, Palawan, Cebu and Manila.

Li said this dual approach to tourism is consistent with the present efforts of the government to bring in tourists from mainland China via Hong Kong with direct destinations to the provinces where most of the Philippines’ tourist attractions are gloriously showcased.

Li said the famous beaches of Boracay could be reached via Kalibo and could be navigated via helicopter upon landing at the Kalibo Airport direct from Hong Kong.

Li also noted the tourist attractions of other provinces such as Legazpi in Albay which has the majestic Mt. Mayon and Bohol with its pristine beaches and authentic Philippine-themed resorts.

Hong Kong Airlines is also expected to decentralize congestion on the country’s major airports with its new routing strategy.

Hong Kong Airlines also flies to Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Cambodia, Singapore and Myanmar. It also flies to 10 key cities in mainland China from Hong Kong landing in the cities of Guilin, Changsa, Qingdao, Nanning, Kunming, Haikou, Sanya, Tianjin, Xiamen and Fuzhou.

Hong Kong Airlines, which has a fleet of Boeing 737-800s, is in the process of rapid growth and has standing orders for Boeing 777ERs and 787 Dreamlines as it seeks to expand globally as Hong Kong’s second Flag carrier.

Billionaires George Soros and Stanley Ho are investors in the company. Hong Kong Airlines Holidays, headed by James Concepcion, is the general sales agent of Hong Kong Airlines in the Philippines.

Concepcion said his firm tied up with Hong Kong Airlines because they share the same vision of developing local tourism by flying to provincial destinations.

Hong Kong Airlines Holidays is an affiliate of the Concepcion Group of Companies which carries Days Hotel Philippines, VCI Holidays (Vacation Club International), Virra Mall, Stopover and Jetset Magazines

kiretoce

April 18th, 2007, 10:52 PM

Conquering Europe with Beaches and Bibingka (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=74088)

A round the world in 80 minutes… Well, in a manner of speaking a person could become a globetrotting Phileas Fogg at last month’s Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB-Berlin) travel fair held in Berlin, Germany.

You see, the ITB is like the Olympics or the Super Bowl of the tourism and travel industry. It features more than 10,000 exhibitors from 180 countries and regions, representing all levels of the tourism trade such as tour operators, booking systems, travel destinations, airlines, hotel and transport services all ensconced in Messe Berlin’s 150,000-square-meter exhibition space with nearly 170,000 overall visitors. Now, that is near the total number of concertgoers at Roger Waters’ performance of Pink Floyd’s "The Wall" at the Berlin Wall. (Or David Hasselhoff’s fans in Germany.)

The ITB, though, is all about tearing down metaphorical walls and crossing borders to get a taste of the good life.

Thus, each pavilion tried to outdo the other in terms of what they could offer prospective travelers. Would you believe the Egyptians put up a replica of the Sphinx, which visitors half-expected to start spewing riddles? "What walks on all fours in daytime…" In the Kazakhstan pavilion there were beautiful hand-woven items for sale — from fur hats to camel dolls to tasseled bags. Disappointingly, Borat didn’t show up. At the Qatar Airways booth, Lady Liberty was there. Well, at least a woman in a Statue of Liberty costume — on stilts. At the center of the Scandinavian hall, a statuesque blonde model was being body-painted by a landscape artist. Male travelers were tempted to cut short their ITB tour just to sit and watch the whole proceedings — for art’s sake, of course. The artistically inclined were tempted to get a brush, dab it in acrylic and start painting mountains. (Paint mountains, not paint on mountains.) Just like Picasso whose posters for his retrospective adorned the Düsseldorf booth. The huge "Incredible India" pavilion offered demonstrations of Ayurveda by astrologers and artisans, application of henna tattoos, and distribution of bindis and bangles. There was a fiesta atmosphere at the South American and African halls also. Somewhere, a marching band was playing the Beach Boys’ Barbara Ann. (How could other booths compete with nude girls and the Beach Boys, anyway?)

But for some reason, the Philippine booth, headed by the Department of Tourism (DOT) with the participation of major travel agencies and tour operators, drew a record number of foreigners, even if our neighbors in the Asian hall (Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, etc.) flaunted bigger budgets, more monolithic structures, and all sorts of gimmickry. But we had an ace up our sleeves. Two words: rice cakes. Not just that. Team Philippines also had three things going for it: creativity and resourcefulness (which are typical Pinoy traits), as well as the reputation of our country as one of the top dive destinations in the world.

"I would proudly say that the Philippines is now no. 4 behind the more popular Egypt with its Red Sea, the Maldives and the Caribbean. But our country is gaining ground," enthused Venus Tan, Philippine DOT director of Western, Central and Eastern Europe.

Tan, who heads the DOT’s Frankfurt office, talked about the Boat Show (Boot Messe) in Düsseldorf last January, which is the biggest dive fair in Europe. A couple of years back, she found out that there were Dutch, Italian and German nationals who operate dive centers and resorts in the Philippines scattered all over the venue, selling our country as a top dive destination on their own. What the DOT did in 2006 was to put all of them in one booth, and that has made a huge difference.

"These Europeans have adopted the Philippines as their home, and they want to promote diving for us," Tan said. "We Filipinos need to do something for the dive industry. That’s where our strength lies. Our competitors in the travel industry such as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia also have beaches, culture and cuisine. But they can’t take diving away from us. We have 7,107 islands, and we have the highest biodiversity in the world."

The DOT team met with a member of the German Bundestag who’s also a member of the committee on tourism. The Member of Parliament wanted to talk to the DOT representatives headed by Undersecretary Oscar Palabyab about how the Bundestag can support the DOT’s tourism efforts.

Undersecretary Palabyab said, "The consciousness about the Philippines is growing because of our consistent and expanding participation in travel fairs such as the ITB. The Europeans have heard good things about our dive spots. I think we should concentrate more on that area."

Palabyab was in meetings the whole of Day 2 of the ITB travel fair. He was also interviewed by European journalists (from print and broadcast media outlets in Germany, Austria and other countries from the EU), and gamely posed for photos beside the sorbetes cart, ringing the bell. Dig it: he’s probably the world’s most industrious sorbetero, promoting the Philippines with its 7,000 flavors and then some.

"(The foreign journalists) asked what are the things our country has to offer to tourists, how many hours to get to Manila from Europe, and how will the DOT expand its capacity in accommodating tourists. No negative impressions na about our country." That wasn’t the case a couple of years back with the Sidapan kidnappings looming like a specter in the European consciousness.

The only concern of reporters nowadays is about the lack of direct flights from Germany to Manila. Good question. The Undersecretary’s answer was as good: create the traffic, and they will fly. But there is a need to attract new investors, he underscored. "We need to address the other side of the equation, and that is infrastructure. Aside from sales missions such as this, we need to have investment-promotion missions as well."

A step in the right direction is President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Super Regions project, where Central Philippines (which includes Southern Tagalog, Northern Visayas, and parts of Palawan) is being groomed as a tourism hub. Thus, the thrust is to develop infrastructure centered on tourism, for all government offices to support tourism initiatives, and for senators and congressmen from these specific regions to think tourism in their agenda. Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano has already made the proposal to diversify by looking into areas such as Romblon, Leyte, Legaspi and Dumaguete.

Essential is the support of the private sector in all this. DOT Team Europe tourism, planning and promotions head Verna Buensuceso said, "Secretary Durano always emphasizes ‘joint promotions.’ We want to expand our resources by doing things jointly with our private sector partners."

Palabyab agreed. He said, "It’s a good thing there are companies like Microtel that are taking risks, putting up hotels in Cavite, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac. Imagine that."

Tan said hopefully that promotions and infrastructure developments would go hand in hand. "What we need now is the capacity. The DOT is encouraging investments, and we’re quite happy with new developments such as Microtel, Shangri-La in Boracay, and other projects. The culture of tourism should seep into the grassroots as well. Attracting tourists shouldn’t just be the role of the DOT. It should be everybody’s concern."

For Germany, the DOT has adopted the catchphrase "xxs bis XXL," meaning that the Philippines has the smallest and the biggest to offer in terms of marine life. And the catchphrase is, uh, catching on. Now the Europeans know that our country boasts all types of attractions in the diving world — from the pygmy seahorse, the smallest fish in the world, to the huge whale sharks found in Donsol.

Speaking of attractions, the Philippine booth in this year’s ITB had a drawing power all its own.

The walls were festooned with photos of the country’s rich marine life, beaches (Bora! Bora! Bora!) and the Banawe Rice Terraces, which, according to DOT Frankfurt office sales and PR manager Arnold Gonzales, "is the only Wonder of the World that was built for the living and not for the dead." There was a wellness counter and massage area where Jomar Flores of Sanctuario and Heidi Abante of Mandala Spa provided free backrubs and hilot to visitors. The waiting list for the free spa services was so long that the people at the end of the line had no choice but to attend next year’s ITB travel fair to try the indigenous Filipino healing method (or, better yet, fly to Manila or Boracay for the whole shebang).

"We are attending a meeting here in Berlin to push our medical wellness packages," enthused Buensuceso. "There is a move in Europe to come up with an international network for all the resorts, hotels and hospitals that offer medical wellness, and they are inviting the Philippines to be one of the pioneers, along with Cyprus and Iceland."

Our country is becoming famous for its holistic wellness packages because, she explained, "we concentrate not only on getting patients well again, but also on making them feel even better."

At the Philippine booth, there was also an authentic sorbetes cart with delicious coconut and mango ice cream dispensed by a DOT rep. The poor guy wasn’t able to take a breather because of the swarm of foreigners wanting a taste of dirty ice cream (we Pinoys love to point that we even use it as palaman sa monay). Some came back for seconds and thirds. Those who were contemplating on coming back for fourths but decided not to drifted instead to the kitchen where amiable cooks Helen Schaefler, Evelyn Baldueza and DOT Team Europe coordinator Mirla Valera were cooking up a fresh, fragrant batch of kalamay and bibingka. One of the many visitors asked if they had dinuguan also. Maybe next year there will be sisig also to go with the ice-cold San Miguel beer served during happy hour at the booth. (The Germans I spoke to liked our delicious local brew; to think that these people invented Oktoberfest.)

The DOT has also launched a new brochure playing up the fact that, yes, we have diving in the Philippines but there are "plus" factors as well. "Plus" could mean cuisine, culture, adventure and, of course, friendly and hospitable people. The Europeans go to the Philippines for diving, but once they come out of the water they can indulge in other activities such as playing golf, trekking, biking, rappelling and spelunking, or even going to spas and wellness centers. Once the foreigners are in, the resorts can always diversify and enhance their packages. Tan said that when Europeans visit the Philippines and see our beaches and dive spots, they get the urge to stay for good.

"There is one European who was bound for Hong Kong with a stopover in Manila. He failed to make the connecting flight, so he had to wait. He has stayed na for 15 years. Never left (laughs). Now he runs a dive center and resort with his partner."

If Phileas Fogg strayed into the Philippines, he would’ve ended up staying and swimming with whale sharks in Donsol.

crappypants

April 21st, 2007, 10:06 PM

So it's from the Chinese our spitting and belly exposing kababayan males copied those endearing traits.
China finds a playground in the Philippines
By Antoaneta Bezlova

BORACAY, Philippines - From sand replicas of the Great Wall on the fine, white beaches to rowdy banquets of singing moon-gazers, traces of China's expanding economic boom are everywhere to be found on this tiny Philippine island, an hour by plane from Manila.

Once a backpacker's haven and until recently a destination for South Korean divers and honeymooners, Boracay is now attracting crowds of tourists from mainland China who arrive

stunned by its pristine white beaches and eager to lose their government-instilled inhibitions.

"I have never seen such beauty," confessed Xu Lijia, a young Chinese woman, sipping coconut juice through a straw straight out of the shell at Coco Loco, one of the island's iconic backpacker hangouts. "It is better to be here than anywhere else, shopping or sightseeing. It is really relaxing."

Indoctrinated to comply with Western standards of etiquette when they travel to Europe, Chinese tourists find the laid-back and friendly attitude of their Filipino hosts refreshing. "You don't need to worry what you wear or what you say, nor how you say it," mused Xu. "Everything goes."

A Chinese New Year banquet on the beach exemplified the ease many Chinese tourists felt on their arrival even as such traditional New Year trimmings as firecrackers and dumplings were absent from the fare. After quickly making their way through piles of seafood delicacies such as the local Lapu-Lapu fish and freshly grilled lobsters, tourists began to drown the tunes of the Filipino live band with their own renditions of Bob Marley.

Games of finger-snapping were noisily played over the tables where rum and cola had substituted the Chinese fiery spirit bai jiu, while video cameras recorded the night feast played out against an enormous star-dotted sky and tranquil sea.

"We have seen more and more mainland Chinese tourists coming here in recent years, especially over Chinese New year," said Francis Tayengo, a beach-resort owner in Boracay. "For them it is a new way of celebrating the festival, but they seem to like it and keep coming back."

Locals welcome the boost to their tourist industries that Chinese travelers bring as they go diving, sailing on bangcas (traditional Philippine boats) and snorkeling in the waters off White Beach.

"It is not a place where big spenders would come," said Xu, who arrived as part of a Chinese tourist group in which many were traveling abroad for the first time. "It is too small and the shopping is not very exciting, but the scenery is fantastic."

With more cash to spend, even people with moderate incomes among China's rapidly growing middle class are now going abroad in large numbers.

In 1995, only 4.5 million Chinese traveled overseas. By 2005, the figure had increased to 31 million. By the end of 2006, the Chinese government had given 129 countries approved-destination status, which means tourist groups no longer have to go through a complicated process to go abroad.

Both Chinese and international travel industry experts forecast that at least 50 million Chinese tourists will travel overseas annually by 2010 and 100 million by 2020. By then, the World Tourism Organization predicts that China will be the world's largest source of tourism.

In Asia, China has already overtaken Japan to become the largest source of outbound travelers. The vast majority restrict their travel to Hong Kong and Macau, but a growing number of mainland Chinese tourists now travel further, filling more Asian aircraft, hotel rooms and beaches.

Yet the vast numbers of travelers leaving the country have created headaches for Chinese custodians of good manners. With little exposure to the outside world, some Chinese travelers have found themselves criticized abroad for spitting, shouting and rolling up their trousers or exposing their bellies to keep cool.

"At a time when tourists are becoming China's latest export, the 'China man' has become a synonym for the uncivilized and coarse person," lamented the weekly Southern Weekend in a recent opinion piece.

Image-conscious government officials have been quick to put together a code of conduct recommended for travelers going abroad, called "The Guide". While not compulsory, The Guide is expected to act as a reminder to tourists of their public role.

"We might not be official China envoys when we go abroad, but we have got to remember that we are Chinese people and foreigners will judge us as representatives of our country," said Liu Deqian, a professor of tourist studies at Beijing Union University who took part in the compilation of The Guide.

garzland

April 23rd, 2007, 03:32 PM

By KAYE VILLAGOMEZ

All the excitement of watersports converges in Camarines Sur’s Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC). It all begins on the first time you try it, and then peaks at when it all begins to be addicting. Imagine this: Automatic cable system gliding you through a six–hectare cruise of water track where you are free to touch the water surface, ski over ramps, and break self borders.

CWC, the biggest, best watersports complex in the entire world, has attracted the best of the best wakeboarders.

Australian wakeboarding champion and world wakeboarding placer Reuben Buchanan has made CWC his second home. Devoting more than a decade now to extreme water sports, Buchanan was tapped by CamSur Governor Luis Raymund Villafuerte to come see what has become of Pili in Camarines Sur.

"When the governor first asked me to see this, I just said why not check it out. But once I’ve set foot here, it’s amazing how it all dawned on me. It’s the best in the world! All the wakeboarders who’ve traveled half the globe to see this all say the same thing—this is by far the best wakeboarding arena in all they’ve seen," Buchanan said.

Since experiencing CWC, Buchanan had hardly gone back to Australia .

"Wakeboarding, which has been my life, for the last 12 years, is nothing short of addicting. Once you’ve tried it, it’ll all be like gliding to one trick after another," Buchanan said.

TEAM PHILIPPINES

Wakeboarding sets the extreme action to full motion via 8 to 12 meters of an overhead cable, allowing the wakeboarder to cruise the water surface through specially designed pylons. With the cables running clockwise between 20-65 km/h speeds around the biggest man-made lake track built for wakeboarding, the rider circles the track via different strokes of gliding motions while the speed lets him do exhibitions on the built-in ramps and all sorts of flips.

It is like skateboarding on water but different in some ways: One, you fall into the water so there are lesser chances for dangerous bumps and injuries; and two, the board has a built-in pair of shoes that you can control and swing up the air or to ant possible desired motion.

The cable-run lake track has a six–point cable ski system so six participants can enjoy the thrills of watersports all at one time.

"In other countries, there’s just about a month or two of summer. But here in the Philippines, the weather is almost good for wakeboarding almost all year round which is why it has attracted a lot of my fellow Australians, Germans, American. Almost all kinds of wakeboarding athletes have come here and stayed because of the weather and the world-class cable system," explained Buchanan, who now also makes sure that the machine at the CWC runs well.

Not only foreigners have gotten into the wakeboarding zone in CamSur. Filipinos who can turn the board in jawdropping stunts have become addicted too.

"The governor told me I can train the people here but it was by a fortunate accident that I met some of the locals who can now do spectacular stunts. I played basketball with a few locals one afternoon and one of the guys flipped and I was amazed because he did that on the concrete and then I found out that most of them can do that. Imagine how well they would do on water. So I told the governor, ‘These are the guys we should train.’ He gave me the greenlight and now I have a team of wakeboarders here with me. In not time, I’m sure a Filipino will emerge in the international wakeboarding scene."

The other cable water sports made extremely available at the CWC aside from wakeboarding are cable skiing, kneeboarding, water skiing, and wake skating.

In cable skiing or ‘riding the cable,’ wake surfers get full command of both water and air. Unlike surfers who need to gamble with the tides, wakeboarders easily execute tricks. Nonetheless, it is still not injury-free. Before you try wakeboarding, you are made to sign a waver should the participant be injured.

What’s amazing is that sprained ankles or shattered knees are seemingly of no consequence.

"It’s just something difficult to stop yourself from doing," one wakeboarder revealed. "What’s important is the great opportunity for the rest of water extreme sports athletes to experience the sport here in the Philippines. Here, wakeboarding is very affordable. Whereas, for instance in Australia, it costs about 50,000 to 200,000 Australian dollars because you have to bring in a boat aside from your gear," said Buchanan

LOCAL GOVERNMENT’S SUCCESS

The success of the watersports in CamSur is mostly due to the passion and hardwork of Gov. Villafuerte, disclosed Buchanan.

"The Governor is an amazing person who makes things happen. Nothing he sets his goal on is impossible."

Villafuerte and his team have commanded world wakeboarding attention to CamSur in less then three years. In fact, the next World Cable Wakeboard and Wakeskate championship in 2008 will be held at the CWC.

For this year, the first ever international wakeboarding competition or CWC Open happens next month, coinciding with the Kaugma festival.

crappypants

April 24th, 2007, 06:27 AM

the philippines is on the travel channel and of all things , it's about bizarre foods.

kunoL8

April 24th, 2007, 09:35 AM

^^ haha! i love andrew zimmerman.

kiretoce

April 24th, 2007, 05:15 PM

the philippines is on the travel channel and of all things , it's about bizarre foods.

Ain't nothin' wrong with that. :colgate:

Lili

April 27th, 2007, 12:59 AM

World's top tourist destinations from the World Tourism Organization (www.unwto.org).

Europe is still the favorite destination. 6 of those in the top 10 are
in Europe. China emerged as the world's 4th international tourist
destination in 2005. And in Asia-Pacific, countries that are detached
from the Asia mainland (NZ, Phils., Taiwan) don't get much tourist
arrivals, compared to those in the mainland.

World's top international tourist destinations, 2005
(in millions)

World’s Top 10:

1. France – 76.0
2. Spain -- 55.6
3. US -- 49.4
4. China -- 46.8
5. Italy – 36.5
6. Britain – 30.0
7. Mexico – 21.9
8. Germany – 21.5
9. Turkey – 20.3
10. Austria – 20.0

Asia:
1. China – 46.8
2. Malaysia – 16.4
3. Hong Kong – 14.8
4. Thailand – 11.6
5. Macao – 9.0
6. Singapore – 7.1
7. Japan – 6.7
8. Korea – 6.0
9. Australia – 5.0
10. Indonesia – 5.0
11. India – 3.9
12. Vietnam – 3.5
13. Taiwan – 3.4
14. Philippines – 2.6
15. N.Zealand – 2.4

Europe:
1. France – 76.0
2. Spain -- 55.6
3. Italy – 36.5
4. Britain – 30.0
5. Germany – 21.5
6. Turkey – 20.3
7. Austria – 20.0
8. Russia – 19.9
9. Poland – 15.2
10. Greece – 14.3
11. Hungary – 10.0
12. Netherlands – 10.0
13. Croatia – 8.5
14. Ireland – 7.3
15. Switzerland – 7.2

Americas:
1. US – 49.4
2. Mexico – 21.9
3. Canada – 18.6
4. Brazil – 5.4
5. Argentina – 3.9
6. Dominican Rep – 3.6
7. Puerto Rico – 3.7
8. Cuba – 2.3
9. Chile – 2.0
10. Uruguay – 1.8

Africa
1. S. Africa – 7.5
2. Tunisia – 6.4
3. Morocco – 5.8
4. Zimbabwe – 1.6
5. Algeria – 1.4

Middle East
1. Saudi Arabia – 9.1
2. Egypt – 8.2
3. Syria – 3.4
4. Jordan – 3.0
5. Lebanon – 1.1

http://www.world-tourism.org/facts/eng/pdf/indicators/Top25_ita.pdf

http://www.world-tourism.org/newsroom/Releases/2005/May/asian.htm

kiretoce

April 27th, 2007, 01:40 AM

Asia:
1. China – 46.8
2. Malaysia – 16.4
3. Hong Kong – 14.8
4. Thailand – 11.6
5. Macao – 9.0
6. Singapore – 7.1
7. Japan – 6.7
8. Korea – 6.0
9. Australia – 5.0
10. Indonesia – 5.0
11. India – 3.9
12. Vietnam – 3.5
13. Taiwan – 3.4
14. Philippines – 2.6
15. N.Zealand – 2.4

The nation/territory that surprised me was Macau, their gambling industry must be really booming beyond expectations, they even topped Singapore in the number of tourists!

OtAkAw

April 27th, 2007, 10:03 AM

^^The billion-plus populated nation above them seems to be working the magic. If we could even reach the 5-million mark, it would be an impressive feat, considering we are separated from the mainland.

garzland

April 27th, 2007, 03:25 PM

The volume of foreign visitor arrivals rose 15.1 percent in March from a year ago, faster than February's growth of 11.1 percent, the Department of Tourism said Thursday.

Data show that international visitor arrivals hit 270,632 in March from 235,041 a year ago. This was also up from 247,731 arrivals in February.

Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said the country was on track to achieve its target of 5 million foreign tourists by 2010, after hitting a record high of 2.84 million in 2006.

In the first three months of the year, Korea was the top market for Philippine tourism, accounting for 171,716 visitors during the period.

The United States followed with 156,226; Japan, 103,589; and China, 36,568.

Others in the top 15 list were Taiwan, Australia, Hong Kong, Canada, Singapore, United Kingdom, Germany, Malaysia, Guam, Thailand and India. - Reuters

www.abs-cbnnews.com

metrosuburban

April 27th, 2007, 09:10 PM

^^ ang dumi-dumi sa phils ngayon sa dami ng election materials puro kalat!!!

crappypants

April 27th, 2007, 09:54 PM

sinabe mo pa. wala talagang silbe yang mga inutil na yan hindi masabihan yung mga tao nilang maglines ng kanilang kalat, pati yang mga ralyista rally ng rally hindi naman nagliligpit ng mga pinagkakalat nila.
sa totoo lang ang manila talaga ang dumi kumpera mo sa lahat ng lugar na iyan. mga tao umaasa lang sa mga tigawales. yung kalat nila tapon dito tapon don. maninibago ang turista pag hindi sanay.

metrosuburban

May 2nd, 2007, 10:49 PM

^^ my god, ganun ba, pano na lang pala pag umuwi na yung nagwawales? so tambak na naman ang kalat the next day??? so may point naman pala kung bakit masa-shock yung mga turista..

kiretoce

May 3rd, 2007, 03:49 AM

8fRgS8iHMsw
Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fRgS8iHMsw)

(I really like this video! :okay: )

smokingunmanila

May 3rd, 2007, 04:10 AM

^^ ang dumi-dumi sa phils ngayon sa dami ng election materials puro kalat!!!

nako exagge nanaman ito...mas maayos na ngayon dahil stricto ang comelec kung san lang dapat maglagay ng mga posters, etc.....maayos naman kahit sa probinsya....sa metro manila..mas lalong maayos..ni wala kang makikita sa edsa ni isang poster....ayan...ha...the good side...

smokingunmanila

May 3rd, 2007, 04:16 AM

Well, the DOT will come out with the second editon of DVD and VCD releasing around 1M of both....which will be given out to travel agencies in Japan, EU, US, Australia, etc......which will include their new videos....the first release were the ones from wow philippines....and..yours truly ang nag master nun sa DVD and VCD

kiretoce

May 3rd, 2007, 05:47 AM

Part 1 of 7 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbB5CswtwHA)
wbB5CswtwHA

Part 2 of 7 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r277tnqDLFg)
r277tnqDLFg

Part 3 of 7 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzR9aRdLzHs)
xzR9aRdLzHs

Part 4 of 7 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wir6pdtY3ZY)
wir6pdtY3ZY

Part 5 of 7 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR19xW5OdlU)
VR19xW5OdlU

Part 6 of 7 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH3AJ5ati5U)
mH3AJ5ati5U

Part 7 of 7 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bBfPg_uGWM)
2bBfPg_uGWM

metrosuburban

May 3rd, 2007, 07:56 PM

nako exagge nanaman ito...mas maayos na ngayon dahil stricto ang comelec kung san lang dapat maglagay ng mga posters, etc.....maayos naman kahit sa probinsya....sa metro manila..mas lalong maayos..ni wala kang makikita sa edsa ni isang poster....ayan...ha...the good side...

Ni isang poster??!! so sinong exxag ngayon?!

Espma

May 10th, 2007, 01:51 PM

Subic Bay soon to launch tree top adventure Friday, May 04 2007 @ 04:27 PM BST

Provincial
In its effort to strengthen its thrust in attracting more foreign and local tourists here, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will soon launch a new perspective in enjoying the wilderness with its newest attraction called Tree Top Adventure (TTA).

SBMA administrator Armand C. Arreza said their biggest tourism investment in Subic Bay is their rich biodiversity found inside the vast tropical forest areas.

"This serves as a habitat for a wide range of flora and fauna, and is what most local and foreign tourists enjoy while driving through the forest areas to different facilities within the Subic Bay Freeport," he said.

Arreza disclosed that through the Tree Top Adventure, tourists will be given a more breathtaking experience of walking from one treetop to another while marveling at the vast array of surrounding flora and fauna.

The TTA, which is gaining popularity worldwide, was patterned after the canopy tour or zip line tour developed in Costa Rica.

It was introduced in the Philippines by Tree Top Adventure Philippines, Inc. and is currently being established within the Extreme Adventure Park in JEST Camp, Cubi Point.

Tourists will experience the adventure of “virtually walking, flying and gliding” from one tree canopy to another at the height of 20 meters and above using cables of zip lines, suspension bridges and a motorized hoist for rappelling and platforms.

An observation post is also being built to monitor the safety and security of adventurists.

At the end of each zip line or after traversing each bridge, tourists can take a rest on the observation platforms and quench their thirst from drinking stations before continuing the tour.

Arreza added the Tree Top Adventure is expected to boost the eco-tourism industry of Subic Bay while promoting the importance of environmental conservation and protection.

“Tree Top will impart a discovery of mountain ecology that merges adventure and environmental education *an opportunity to experience being one with nature and being part of it through the zip lines,” Tree Top Philippines President Mario Montejo said.

Montejo also boasted that the Tree Top Adventure will share fun, challenge and discovery with a beautiful feeling of being on top of the world and at the same time with the renewed feeling of caring for the environment.

Construction for Tree Top Adventure is currently underway.

More adventure tours will also be developed in other forest areas and these adventure tours will all be interlinked to form a web of extreme adventure parks in the Subic Bay Freeport. (PNA)

sandrn

May 14th, 2007, 04:16 AM

Focus

Cultural tourism: a win-win proposition
BY JONATHAN BEST
http://www.bworldonline.com/Weekender051107/main.php?id=focus1

Cultural tourism has come of age. Countries with exciting histories, beautiful architecture, well pre-served ethnic art traditions, untrammeled natural beauty and a famous cuisine are cashing in on a new generation of sophisticated global travelers.

The countries of mainland Southeast Asia and China have seen a dramatic growth in quality tourists and revenues over the last 10 years. Thailand is welcoming over 10 million tourist a year and Communist Vietnam is now even with the Philippines with approximately two million arrivals a year. Promoting culture and national heritage has been the key to success throughout the region.

There will always be tourists who are only looking for fun, the hedonistic pleasures of beaches, spas, casinos and exotic playmates, or simply for well-earned rest and physical recreation.

However, increasing numbers of well educated and affluent tourists are looking for serious intellectual stimulation. These are the Westerners and a growing number of Asians who have come to take world travel as an integral part of their lifestyle. Travel helps define who they are socially and is a source of pleasure and personal enrichment. These travelers are happy to spend thousands of dollars on recreational junkets if there is genuine educational content to justify the trip. In the 1960s and 1970s they flocked to the cathedrals, art galleries and national museums of Europe. In the 1980s and 1990s they discovered Russia, China, Japan and Australia. Now they have set their sites on the national treasures and landmarks of South and Southeast Asia.

Although slow to pick up on this trend, the Philippines is beginning to come alive. The country has wonderful cultural assets waiting to be discovered by discerning visitors. These cultivated folk can bring in the greatest revenue and create the fewest problems. What they look for are major historic and geographic landmarks; museums, galleries and theaters that can give them quick yet meaningful glimpses into a nation’s, a people’s or a region’s history and culture. The Philippines is fortunate to have numerous historic sites set in a beautiful archipelago, with high mountains and tropical rain forests. With proper planning, cultural tourism can bring in significant new revenues and at the same time boost national pride and help preserve the Philippines unique culture.

Ecological tourism is a part of this trend.

Well informed travelers are very aware of problems of pollution and environmental degradation; keeping the landscape clean and properly maintained is a primary concern. Who would want to travel half way around the world to visit a site littered with trash, bill boards, electrical wiring, polluted by smoke belching trucks and buses and over-run by touts and rapacious vendors?

World Heritage Sites

Internationally recognized attractions in the Philippines include several landmarks, designated "World Heritage Sites" by the United Nations. These include the Banaue Rice Terraces, the Tubbataha Reefs, and five major Spanish Colonial Churches. The latter are renown for their distinctive, heavy set "earthquake baroque" architecture, religious artwork and unique Eurasian ornamentation. Corregidor Island of World War II fame and the site of Ferdinand Magellan’s misadventures in Cebu in 1521 are internationally famous as are the medieval walls of Intramuros in old Manila. Mt. Mayon and Mt. Pinatubo are both world famous volcanoes, one for its perfect cone and the latter for its spectacular eruption in 1991.

Less well known volcanoes like Taal just south of Manila and Hibok-Hibok on Camiguin Island are worthwhile eco-tourism sites as are countless other mountains, waterfalls, pristine dive sites, secluded islands and white sand beaches.

Unfortunately the City of Manila has neglected its once famous Mehan Gardens. Botanical gardens in tropical countries are invaluable research laboratories and traditionally very popular tourist attractions. Restoring the Philippine’s once famous gardens and city parks in Manila, Baguio, and Zamboanga should be given the highest priority. These could be perfect showcases for both national heritage and ecological conservation.

Museums

On the purely cultural side, the National Museum, at the north eastern corner of Rizal Park in Manila, has the most to offer. Besides its impressive permanent collection of Philippine master painters and sculptors, the museum mounts major exhibitions of Filipino art work and cultural artifacts throughout the year. The Museum of the Filipino People, an annex of the main building, has a fascinating collection of indigenous art from different tribal groups from the Cordilleras, the lowlands and the Muslim and Lumad communities in the Southern Philippines.

Major Filipino archeological finds are on display here as well. The 2,000-year-old secondary burial jars from caves in Mindanao and Palawan are very impressive as are the treasures excavated from ancient ship wrecks discovered in Philippine waters. Both the famous Manunggul Jar and artifacts from the 1601 wreck of the San Diego are housed in this building.

The Metropolitan Museum on Roxas Boulevard has a fine paintings collection and houses, in its basement galleries, the Central Bank’s dazzling array of excavated pre-Hispanic gold artifacts and jewelry. There are several other fine museums in greater Manila, from the elegant new Ayala and Yuchengco Museums of fine art in Makati to the very informative Bahay Tsinoy in Intramuros. This museum tells the story of Chinese traders and settlers in the Philippines going back over 1,000 years.

Manila is replete with art galleries, from smartly appointed commercial establishments within the shopping malls to individualistic older galleries scattered around town. The latter tend to have the better painters on display.

Philippine artists have been working in the Western idiom since the 1820s; this has given the country a rich artistic legacy and a very talented contemporary artistic community. Considering the inflated prices of popular young artists in Vietnam and China, Philippine paintings are way undervalued.

Outside Manila there are branches of the National Museum throughout the country and private museums in ancient churches, convents, Spanish era forts and ancestral houses. The Santo Nino shrine in Cebu is a fascinating destination, combining beautiful Spanish colonial church architecture, and modern Christian worship withpowerful vestiges of pagan rituals. Zamboanga’s Fort Pilar and Cebu’s Fort San Pedro have been restored and transformed into Museums. Davao and Baguio each have small privately run ethnographic museums, which compliment the local ethnic arts and crafts markets. There is a military museum and tour on Corregidor Island and the Philippine armed forces have museums at their respective headquarters. Famous political families such as the Marcoses and Aquinos have erected historical museums and elaborate shrines in their home provinces.

Performers

Filipinos have been famous throughout Asia as entertainers at least as far back as the 1850s, when they started performing at royal courts, grand hotels and on board cruise ships.

Today there is no lack of popular entertainment in the Philippines but the more serious performing arts; theater, symphonies, ballet and modern dance have recently suffered greatly from a lack of public and institutional funding. It would be prudent public policy to generously support these groups, they uplift the image of the country and draw in valuable local and foreign tourists. Filipino performing artists are being exported to Hong Kong, Singapore and Europe to entertain tourists there. It would be better to keep them here at home for everyone to enjoy and to let them mentor the next generation of Filipino talent.

Food

Cuisine is also an important cultural attraction. Filipinos are famous as chefs in restaurants and hotels around the world. Filipino fiesta fare and innumerable local sweets and assorted delicacies, from kinilaw to mango tarts, are ideal for entertaining discerning tourists.

The trick is to provide flawless presentation and an articulate explanation of the local food lore and culture. Once again, this is a question of education, professional training and the government enforcing strict standards of hygiene and safety. To meet the demands of cultural tourism the hospitality industry must be able to present the finest aspects of the national culture in an informative and entertaining manner.

In the 1990s Singapore spent over $50,000,000 to refurbish its museums, clean up its historic neighborhoods and support its artistic community. The result has been a transformation of its national image from tight-fisted and dull to imaginative and cosmopolitan. Tourists fly in from Europe and America and international cruise ships make Singapore a regular port-of-call.

Unfortunately while the rest of Asia was promoting heritage, saving old buildings, constructing new museums and concert halls the former secretary of tourism for the Philippines was out promoting "WOW Philippines," beaches and babes. No wonder the temple at Angkor Wat, in the remote jungles of Cambodia, gets more visitors in a year than the entire Philippines.

The Philippines has an over abundance of unique attractions; the challenge is to make them accessible by building attractive modern infrastructure. Philippine smiles and hospitality are legendary, however, hospitality industry personnel need serious training in national history, culture and the arts. It is a happy coincidence that cultural heritage and environmental conservation can now be turned into major money-making industries. Industries that can profit a broad segment of the population for generations to come and build genuine national pride and respect from our friends abroad.

The Arts and Culture Committee of the League of Corporate Foundations along with other enlightened civic groups like the Heritage Conservation Society, the National Museum, Haribon Foundation, Winner Foundation, NGOs and a few civic leaders have been working very hard to raise national consciousness on these issues. They need all the support they can get from all sectors of society.

Casinos, spas and sun drenched beaches can be found all around the world, Filipino heritage can only be found in the Philippines.

(Jonathan Best works as a consultant for the Ortigas Foundation Library and Philippine Studies Center.

OtAkAw

May 14th, 2007, 09:20 AM

DoggMann

May 14th, 2007, 08:59 PM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=65914

SPECIAL REPORT
Philippine tourism on fastest rise in a decade

By Daxim Lucas
Inquirer
Last updated 01:24am (Mla time) 05/15/2007

(First of 3 parts)

Companies and businessmen who haven’t latched on to the call center and business process outsourcing (BPO) trend by now should forget it, if they’re looking to make a killing.

From all indications, “the next big thing” for Philippine business is the tourism industry, which has virtually exploded onto the scene in recent years.

It is, therefore, no surprise that the biggest conglomerates in the country as well as the most forward-looking of entrepreneurs are now setting their sights on the resurgent sector, which has lain dormant for the last decade.

At stake is at least $2.7 billion in direct tourism revenues for this year alone, and an as yet unquantified amount of multiplier effects on the rest of the economy.

“We think there is a huge potential in the tourism industry,” said SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) investor relations chief Corazon Guidote.

The firm, owned by the tycoon Henry Sy Sr., makes the bulk of its revenues from its shopping malls, but recently embarked on a P5-billion tourism project in Batangas province.

The move is a significant departure from SMIC’s traditional comfort zone, and likely indicates a looming change in the country’s wider business landscape.

“The prospects are promising because there are very few companies that are taking tourism as a serious endeavor,” SMIC’s executive vice president Josefino Lucas said.

Waking up

The fact that few companies have both feet in the tourism industry is no accident.

The industry languished over the last decade, with foreign tourist arrivals stuck at around the 2-million a year mark since it peaked in 1997 -- just as the country was hit hard by the East Asian financial crisis.

But while tourist arrivals boomed in other ASEAN countries worse hit by the financial crisis, tourism in the Philippines ground to a halt.

From its peak of 2.2 million foreign tourists in 1997, this number fell to a low of 1.7 million in 2001 -- less than one-tenth of the numbers that neighboring Malaysia attracted that year.

In an interview, Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said the industry’s plight was due to a combination of neglect in the late 1990s, to the weakened spending power of people in the region, to a lack of resolve on the part of the national government to push tourism as a major program.

That has changed in recent years with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo having included tourism as a major pillar of her latest five-year Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan.

The renewed focus has reaped tremendous benefits, said Durano, who has overseen the resurgence of what was one of the country’s strongest selling points up until the early 1980s.

“For the first time in many years, the tourism industry is growing at a very strong pace,” he said, pointing to the surge in visitor arrivals since 2004. “For the past two years, we have grown at an average of 14 percent.”

This is even more surprising when juxtaposed against the statistics of the region, where tourist arrivals have grown at an average of only seven percent during the same period.

Although the strong growth in the Philippine tourism industry may be attributed to its having very few arrivals in recent years -- the so-called “base effect” -- Durano pointed out that the country is also benefiting from a 10-year cycle in the business.

It’s Philippines’ time

“Every 10 years, people tend to look for new tourist destinations,” the tourism secretary said. “That time is now.”

He explained that while the country has long been considered a tourist destination, its relative obscurity in recent years have allowed his office and some of the more aggressive industry players to market the country -- especially its beach resorts -- as a new destination.

“We have been under the radar for so long that we’re virtually a new destination for many people abroad,” he said.

In addition, the tourism department also underwent a radical paradigm change in recent years.

Under Durano’s watch, tourism officials shifted their focus from trying to attract visitors from Europe and North America -- the holy grail of the travel industry -- to more modest targets.

The change in strategy was tantamount to shifting to a low-margin, high-volume business.

“We’re now focusing on the East Asian countries,” he said. “We want more visitors from Japan, Korea and China.”

Roadblocks

For the full potential of the industry to be realized, however, both the government and the private sector would have to make major adjustments in policy.

Some of these adjustments are guaranteed to be painful.

“The biggest roadblock to the improvement of the tourism industry right now is [the lack of] airline access,” said Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri. “Many tourists want to fly to the country, but there simply aren’t enough available flights.”

The solution -- in the mind of many public and private sector observers -- is bound to hurt on of the country’s richest and most influential businessmen.

(To be continued)

Animo

May 15th, 2007, 12:19 AM

^^I'm hoping PGMA or Durano read that article because it explains alot about what our country can achieve in terms of tourism. I believe our nation can offer lots lots more compared to other overhyped destinations ober der sa tabi ng pader. And it would be great for our national heritage if they promote it because conservation and preservation would be required for our national treasures.

Seriously people need to get it right! Its not all about beaches, sand, and sun. Lets take a look at México´s promotional advertisement and its all about culture and places that is quite similar with ours too. Whenever you go its all about culture and then others (beach, hotels, shopping, etc.)

dXXmIOqbK8w

jbkayaker12

May 16th, 2007, 09:47 AM

^^^^Actually, beaches and nature are almost always on top of the agenda of many travellers and to say it isn't so is simply foolish. The country has the advantage of having so many pristine undevelop islands and for the Tourism dept to simply ignore it is futile. Of course aside from the beaches other attractions should be explored by the tourism dept and one of that is diving which we also have an advantage. In Germany they were promoting XXS Bis XXL as a diving come on meaning people can have a dive vacation to see the smallest of the sea creatures to the biggest of the sea creatures in our waters.

The Bahamas, Caribbean, Tenerife in the Canary Islands, The Greek Isles, The Maldives all have beautiful beaches and they use it to their advantage so why not in the Philippines.:)

waketrex

May 17th, 2007, 05:54 AM

Seriously people need to get it right! Its not all about beaches, sand, and sun. Lets take a look at México´s promotional advertisement and its all about culture and places that is quite similar with ours too. Whenever you go its all about culture and then others (beach, hotels, shopping, etc.)

dXXmIOqbK8w

You can change the colors represented by the video to
yellow = sunset ,
white = beaches(sand),
blue = ocean and skies
red = festival colors

then the backdrop is the Philippine flag heheheh

Espma

May 17th, 2007, 10:43 AM

Korean tourists to reach 650,000 this year—DoT
By Roderick T. dela Cruz

Around 650,000 Korean tourists, many of them honeymooners and students, are expected to visit the different destinations in the Philippines this year, the Department of Tourism said.

*******

Basco Ebron, who heads the department’s office in Korea, said the figure would be about 14 percent higher than the 572,133 Koreans who traveled to the Philippines last year.

Korea replaced the United States as the largest tourism market of the Philippines and accounted for a fifth of all international visitors in the country in 2006.

Ebron said arrivals were on track toward meeting the 2007 target, as data show that visitors from Korea increased 18.8 percent to 171,716 in the first quarter of the year from 144,768 a year ago.

Arrivals from Korea represented 21.7 percent of the total international arrivals of 790,888 in the January-March period. The United States accounted for 19.8 percent.

Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano said the bulk of foreign tourists came from Korea, US, Japan and China because of the Philippines’ competitive advantage in such markets.

“Korea, Japan and certain parts of China have the Philippines as their nearest tropical neighbor, while the United States has an increasing number of Filipino-Americans visiting the country regularly,” he said.

“The biggest increase in actual numbers at 26,948 came from Korea, indicating that our promotional campaign is hitting our specific target market squarely,” Durano said.

Durano was referring to the department’s four priority segments of Korea’s 11.6 million outbound market, composed of students, holiday seekers, honeymooners, and special interest groups such as golfers, scuba divers and other sports buffs.

“The first quarter, mostly comprising winter and partly spring, is really the best time for Koreans to travel abroad to escape the very cold weather. That is why we intensify our campaign before and during this period targeting our four priority market segments. And it certainly shows that our choice of media for the campaign is correct, particularly the cable TV programs and magazines that cater to our target market,” he said.

amigo32

May 17th, 2007, 10:52 AM

Si durano na lang sana tumakbong senador, marami na syang naitulong.

NOVO ECIJANO

May 17th, 2007, 03:35 PM

Si durano na lang sana tumakbong senador, marami na syang naitulong.

we need him as tourism czar,with the surge of tourism in our country i just wondering kung ano ang pinagagawa ng mga nauna sa kanya.

kiretoce

May 17th, 2007, 03:41 PM

Tourism advocates push for open skies (http://www.asianjournal.com/?c=55&a=20263)

MANILA, Philippines -- Jose Clemente III believes that there are far more foreign tourists interested in visiting the country than the two million arrivals recorded each year.
As the general manager of Rajah Tours Philippines Inc., one of the country's biggest travel agents, Clemente sees that demand for the country's tourist destinations outstrips supply by a significant margin.

Clemente, who also heads the Philippine Travel Agencies Association, is quick to reply when asked what kind of supply the Philippine tourism industry lacks: "Rooms and [airline] seats."

His firm does business mainly with "inbound" tourist traffic, which he explains is capped, surprisingly, not by the lack of interest in the country's beaches, but by the local system's inability to service so many visitors.

"This is the complaint of the 'inbound' sector," he says. "Demand is on the rise, but we cannot accommodate them."

For critics of the status quo, the blame for the stunted development of the tourism industry in recent years lies unevenly on the shoulders of the country's main flag carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL).

Regulatory capture

Owned by Chinese-Filipino tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan, PAL has been blamed for obstructing an "open skies" policy that will allow foreign airlines to fly to and from the country as much as they would like.

PAL and its owner have also been accused of using their influence on regulators, like the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), to squeeze competitors and prevent new ones from entering the market.

At a recent news briefing, Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri named the CAB as one of five regulatory agencies that he described as "prone to regulatory capture."

He pointed out that, in the debate on whether to adopt an open skies policy, the CAB invariably defended the status quo, using a line often put forth by PAL.

"The effect is less competition in the industry, poorer service and more expensive air transport costs," Neri said.

The debate on open skies -- and the high-stakes lobbying -- became plain to see after Malacañang issued Executive Order 500, which gave foreign airlines unlimited access to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in the Clark Special Economic Zone, a couple of hours' drive from Manila.

To the surprise of liberalization advocates, Executive Order 500 was quickly superseded by Executive Order 500-A, which effectively restricted the initiative and emasculated the open skies policy.

PAL president Jaime Bautista said the airline and its influential owner were not opposed to liberalization of the airline industry.

"We are not against open skies," he said in an interview. "In fact, we support liberalization. But what we want is a kind of liberalization that is fair and equitable."

"National interest" debate

Bautista said critics of the airline and Lucio Tan were "trying to muddle the issue" by expanding the debate and the definition of the term "national interest."

PAL's critics say the airline equates "national interest" with its own interest by restricting competition to the level at which it can compete, to the detriment of other sectors that would benefit from increased tourist arrivals, like the hotel and service businesses.

Bautista said a broad definition of "reciprocity" would difficult to quantify, and the debate on open skies should be limited to what could be empirically measured -- the number of passengers and number of flights that PAL and competing international airlines are allowed to make -- instead of a nebulous concept of a "bigger national interest."

"There should be a balance," he said. "The issue shouldn't be muddled."

For Secretary Neri, curtailing the access of foreign airlines -- and consequently capping the growth of the tourism industry and its almost $3 billion in annual earnings -- is clearly against the national interest.

Advocates are pushing for adoption of an Executive Order 500-B that would restore some of the liberal policies set forth in the original Executive Order 500, although it remains to be seen whether an open skies policy will succeed in generating more foreign tourists.

As far as the Philippine Travel Agencies Association's Clemente is concerned, the growth of the tourism industry is being stunted by PAL's limitations in competing with international rivals, thus the artificial restrictions imposed locally.

"PAL can't compete with other large Asian airlines in terms of [number of] seats, on-time performance and service," he said. "What we need to do is give consumers the choice."

He points out that the goal of attracting five million foreign tourists into the country by 2010 can easily be achieved if the country can accommodate the demand, both in terms of hotel rooms and airline seats.

"We can easily have 3.5 million this year," he says, if only the travel infrastructure were in place.

As it is, even with the obstacles, Clemente says, the travel industry is growing at a rapid clip.

"It can grow much faster," he says.

Espma

May 18th, 2007, 02:05 PM

^^ LOL omg Lucio Tan is so frickin' transparent..he's obviously so scared of competition..I don't understand how he can actually manipulate those so called regulators though..I thought those "regulators" are backed by the government?!...pffffttt so bloody frustrating...I'll be visiting the Philippines again soon..but I won't be using PAL...sad to say their service is truly inferior compared to say Singapore Airlines and QANTAS.

jonno

May 18th, 2007, 03:19 PM

Animo

May 18th, 2007, 07:39 PM

It is foolish that we only rely on one element for promoting tourism in the country. Lets go back to our location on the Asia: Macau has the ruins of São Paulo and other colonial structures as part of its tourism. Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, China etc. has both nature and culture on their priorities such as their temples or Buddha monuments like the Giant Buddha of Hong Kong.

Its is not the greatest strategy if we only rely on beaches because what makes us different apart from the other beach-centric places or islands is that we have so much to offer if we only take the initiative to promote the vast cultural influences and treasures that are simple uniquely Filipino (a fusion of the best of the East and the West).

I as a tourist don't actually look for the beach as the only reason for visiting a new place. Yes, I would agree that this depends on where one is originally such as if one lives in a desertic place then yeah I'd go for the beach mentality.

But look we are catering mostly from our Asian neighbors to visit us. Why can we offer then a different side of Asia if we promote our churches, colonial structures, cultural legacies, etc. Don't you agree that it makes more sense so that we can benefit both nationally and culturally speaking and not just limited to certain regions.

Anyway my opinion. :)

^^^^Actually, beaches and nature are almost always on top of the agenda of many travellers and to say it isn't so is simply foolish. The country has the advantage of having so many pristine undevelop islands and for the Tourism dept to simply ignore it is futile. Of course aside from the beaches other attractions should be explored by the tourism dept and one of that is diving which we also have an advantage. In Germany they were promoting XXS Bis XXL as a diving come on meaning people can have a dive vacation to see the smallest of the sea creatures to the biggest of the sea creatures in our waters.

The Bahamas, Caribbean, Tenerife in the Canary Islands, The Greek Isles, The Maldives all have beautiful beaches and they use it to their advantage so why not in the Philippines.:)

dos compadres

May 20th, 2007, 11:30 PM

The slogan "pilipino sa turismo ay aktibo" is being promoted by the PTA head barbers (i forgot the name). The slogan's acronym is also PTA, see?. But I wonder why the PTA should have a separate promotional spiel, when the DOT itself has already its "halina, byahe tayo"? Even the PTA has its own video with different artists (mostly from abs-cbn) singing its really mediocre theme song, when the DOT has already its catchy song (with singers mostly from GMA, save for sharon). Is this just wasting limited funds, or is barbers just aggrandizing himself?

jbkayaker12

May 21st, 2007, 02:15 AM

It is foolish that we only rely on one element for promoting tourism in the country. Lets go back to our location on the Asia: Macau has the ruins of São Paulo and other colonial structures as part of its tourism. Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, China etc. has both nature and culture on their priorities such as their temples or Buddha monuments like the Giant Buddha of Hong Kong.

Its is not the greatest strategy if we only rely on beaches because what makes us different apart from the other beach-centric places or islands is that we have so much to offer if we only take the initiative to promote the vast cultural influences and treasures that are simple uniquely Filipino (a fusion of the best of the East and the West).

I as a tourist don't actually look for the beach as the only reason for visiting a new place. Yes, I would agree that this depends on where one is originally such as if one lives in a desertic place then yeah I'd go for the beach mentality.

But look we are catering mostly from our Asian neighbors to visit us. Why can we offer then a different side of Asia if we promote our churches, colonial structures, cultural legacies, etc. Don't you agree that it makes more sense so that we can benefit both nationally and culturally speaking and not just limited to certain regions.

Anyway my opinion. :)

Who said the Dept of Tourism should just rely on our beaches/islands to promote tourism? It will definitely be FOOLISH to DIREGARD our islands and beaches which is an advantage into a DISADVANTAGE by not promoting it.

Before you promote any of your churches make sure they are up to par with world standards, the four we have in the United Nations World Heritage List barely made it to the list. It is decaying. Go have a look at San Agustin, the supposedly premier catholic church in Metro Manila, it is covered in soot. The rest of the churches in the Philippines are in s SAD state of DECAY courtesy of our talented clergy. PLEASE!!!!!!

jbkayaker12

May 21st, 2007, 02:19 AM

Seriously people need to get it right! Its not all about beaches, sand, and sun.

Tell this to the Dept of Tourism and they will snicker at you!

Just my opinion.:)

hiiamdib

May 21st, 2007, 05:04 AM

Philippines has alot to offer at di pedeng i-itspwera nalng :ohno: !!! Can't wait to go back :bash:

jbkayaker12

May 21st, 2007, 07:58 AM

^^^^^^The Philippines being an archipelagic nation of over 7,000 islands, it would be foolish to even think of not promoting these beautiful islands. Many travellers come in to spend their beach vacation in the Philippines, be it honeymooners, backpackers or overseas Filipinos and I'm not saying destinations other than beaches and islands should be ignored either.

OtAkAw

May 21st, 2007, 09:58 AM

crappypants

May 21st, 2007, 10:03 AM

they need to collect garbage from the street.

lex_99

May 21st, 2007, 11:43 AM

Foreign tourists increase by 32%

The Philippine Star

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported a 32 percent increase in the number of foreign tourists that arrived in the country during the first three months of the year.

Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said in a statement that from January to March, a total of 764,357 foreigners arrived in the country compared to the same period last year, when only 712,076 registered.

There was also an upsurge in the number of foreigners that applied for visa extensions. From 86,159 during the first quarter of 2006, it went up to 113,836 this year.

Under BI regulations, non-restricted aliens such as Americans, Japanese and Europeans are allowed an initial period of 21 days of stay after which they may extend their visas every two months until reaching the maximum period of one year.

Restricted nationals such as Chinese, Indians and Arabs who must secure entry visas in coming here are usually admitted for initial periods from 14 days to 59 days and may extend their stay every month up to a maximum of six months.

However, Libanan clarified that for “meritorious reasons” they could allow the aliens to prolong their stay.

The newly appointed commissioner said he would be implementing more programs to further attract foreigners. “We will not relent in our efforts to welcome more foreign visitors in line with the thrust of President Arroyo to promote the Philippines as a tourist destination.” Evelyn Z. Macairan

jbkayaker12

May 21st, 2007, 12:10 PM

^^I think as of the moment, our nation's beaches are DOT's biggest tourist draws for our country. It would be BETTER however if they put a little bit of the emphasis given to beaches into our cultural treasures, because they deserve attention. Indonesia has LOTS more islands and yet they are hell bent on promoting Borobudur, Bali's temples and other cultural heritage sites. With more effort, I think our country could attract more tourists because what we can offer is really just... GREAT.

Until the local officials and clergy put in the EXTRA EFFORT in the PRESERVATION of our cultural/holy sites I believe there is nothing wrong with promoting our beaches/islands/diving as a come on for travellers but to just disregard it is totally ridiculous especially if our heritage sites are not even up to par to world class standards simply because of NEGLECT. I have so many pictures I took of cultural, historical and holy sites that are decaying. If you want to show these to the world then sad to say travellers won't be awed.

Do not even bother with Indonesia, we are talking about the Philippines here.

jbkayaker12

May 21st, 2007, 12:54 PM

One of the tallest watchtower in the country, neglected, abandoned and in badly need of immediate intervention for restoration. I am proud of the Philippines but this...........
http://www.photobucket.com/albums/v635/jbkayaker12/2007PI/watchtower18.jpg

http://www.photobucket.com/albums/v635/jbkayaker12/2007PI/watchtower19.jpg

http://www.photobucket.com/albums/v635/jbkayaker12/2007PI/watchtower21.jpg

http://www.photobucket.com/albums/v635/jbkayaker12/2007PI/watchtower20.jpg

amigo32

May 21st, 2007, 01:02 PM

Sayang, mukhang guguho na kung may magtatalon sa loob.

jbkayaker12

May 22nd, 2007, 12:46 AM

Sadly many of our sites are similar to ones I've posted, promoting our heritage to show sites in such bad state of decay is like inviting someone into your home but you don't even bother cleaning up.

OtAkAw

May 23rd, 2007, 11:03 AM

Until the local officials and clergy put in the EXTRA EFFORT in the PRESERVATION of our cultural/holy sites I believe there is nothing wrong with promoting our beaches/islands/diving as a come on for travellers but to just disregard it is totally ridiculous especially if our heritage sites are not even up to par to world class standards simply because of NEGLECT. I have so many pictures I took of cultural, historical and holy sites that are decaying. If you want to show these to the world then sad to say travellers won't be awed.

Do not even bother with Indonesia, we are talking about the Philippines here.

There are some sites that are either in acceptable or good condition, we can promote them. If Pinoys see that they could benefit from a beautiful church or heritage house through tourism for example, their eyes would be opened, hence, producing a chained reaction that will create a national awareness that heritage is important. Then word spreads and your friendly downtown priest may be enlightened about the preservation of a Spanish-era church. You know Pinoys, they won't take care of anything unless it's advantageous for their lives.

jbkayaker12

May 23rd, 2007, 11:44 AM

^^Good is not good enough if you ask me. That is just me, mataas ang standard ko. The "puede na" or "good enough" mentality of Filipinos is the biggest obstacle of progress in the Philippines. Dapat world class ang dating!!:) Dagdag ko lang, mga clergy ang mga unang sumisira sa mga simbahan diyan sa Pilipinas.

OtAkAw

May 24th, 2007, 12:57 PM

^^Akin kasi kahit na "pwede na" lang ang standards OK lang kasi may market para sa mga dun. Yung para sa mga medyo jologs na travellers kumbaga.

Totoo sinabi mo about sa clergy. Mga bobo kasi sila sa heritage conservation, mas inaatupag pa ang pakekealam sa politics at pagpapadami ng girlfriends (chismis!)

le Reine

May 24th, 2007, 12:59 PM

hindi siya ok. Kasi, once na nasanay na sila sa ganoong attitude mahahawa na nila ang ibang tao or mahirap na lang din baguhin. Tingnan mo, yung mga pinuntahan kong places sa Bicol maganda. Nagulat ako na ang service nila ang may problema. Sayang.

jbkayaker12

May 24th, 2007, 11:49 PM

^^^^Correct ka diyan! There should be no room for mediocrity in any endeavor.:)

Animo

May 25th, 2007, 12:37 AM

One of the tallest watchtower in the country, neglected, abandoned and in badly need of immediate intervention for restoration. I am proud of the Philippines but this...........

My reply to your responses:

1. Promoting cultural heritage does not only compromise with built heritage. In Peru they have an annual celebration of the Sun God which is a pre-Colombian tradition that attacks tourist. The event is interesting because the natives are wearing their traditional clothings with many colours and their borloloys (borla) while doing their dances.

This can be applied to the various ethnic dances that we have in other parts of the country. One reason why this is not thriving because of the lack of promotion or people are ashamed because it is not 'cool' especially for it to survive in the future.

2. We have other places in the country that are in 'good' to 'excellent conditions'. Yes, many of the structures are in a 'not so great' conditions but this goes with my reason number 1 for the demise and the lack of funds too. But I am curious why back in the old days they were able to build such stuctures with the help of the community without being the richest province or pueblo.

Lets not make Manila the monopoly of cultural legacy. Many things can be done with the strength (money) and spirit (awareness) of the many.

My opinion why our country and countrymen 'suck' at keeping our heritage is we do not learn from other countries. Otakaw has a point on learning from Indonesia and especially from Latin America. They are the same league as the Philippines but they have not taken foregranted their built and cultural heritage.

Also, I am in awe with these countries because they may not be the most advance, rich or having an English speaking population but they have culture. It is one element that is very obvious to outsiders from the beginning when we see them.

Animo

May 25th, 2007, 12:39 AM

BY JASER A. MARASIGAN

The Philippines is considered one of the world’s best ecotourism destinations. And why not when we are blessed with vast pastoral lands and lush mountains, extensive coastlines ringed by unspoiled beaches, and deepblue waters offering about 40,000 square kilometers of coral reefs teeming with marine life.

But the problem is, these destinations are also facing threats from us, travelers. The environmental degradation and cultural alienation particularly in heavily promoted and visited spots by tourists has prompted the Department of Tourism (DoT), together with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), to banner ecotourism and sustainable development, promoting travel with as much passion as protecting the country’s natural diversity.

With ecotourism, tourists take on the observer status, expected to give due respect to the local community and their environment. The socio-economic benefits are directed to the community, while tourists benefit from the opportunity to experience nature’s unadulterated grandeur and contribute to its preservation.

1) SORSOGON. Located in the southern part of Bicol Peninsula, Sorsogon boasts of rolling hills and valleys that are carpeted with varying foliage. Travel to Donsol and witness for yourself the phenomenon that is the "butanding" or whale sharks, which has brought this once sleepy town to its feet.

2) GUIMARAS. Unperturbed by news about the oil spill that brought the island province to world attention last year, tourists still flock to Guimaras to see its 238.3-kilometer coastline, with long stretches of white, powdery sand considered among the world’s finest. It also prides itself in producing the sweetest mangoes in the world -- the carabao mango.

3) PALAWAN. Its exotic beauty remains undefiled. Branded as the country’s last frontier, Palawan is a sanctuary to an amazing variety of exotic flora and fauna that are found nowhere else. And with more than a thousand islands and islets, Palawan boasts of white-sand beaches, scenic rock formations, underwater rivers and caves. It is also home to Tubbataha Reef, the only national marine park that made it to the World Heritage List and whose grandeur is comparable to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.

4) BANAUE. With tall rice terraces at the backdrop and cool breeze shuttling between mountain peaks, a journey across the Cordillera’s Banaue rice terraces exposes one to an atmosphere strangely different from the daily offering of Manila and its suburbs. More importantly, it provides a peek into the ancient Philippine civilization.

5) BOHOL. It is situated in the heart of Visayas and with coastline skimmed by gentle coves and whitesand beaches. The Chocolate Hills, all of 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills, are undoubtedly the most famous tourist attraction in the province. It is also one of Asia’s best diving destinations. Pamilacan island is frequented by many diving enthusiasts for its whales and manta rays.

6) ANTIQUE. The Bugang River Tour in Pandan, Antique was awarded gold winner in last year’s International Green Apple Environment Awards for Environmental Best Practice in London, England. It is also dubbed as the "Cleanest River" in the country. Enjoy a trekking tour through its rainforest with hanging bridges, and take a refreshing bath at its numerous health springs.

7) PANGASINAN. Lose yourself among the Hundred Islands, scattered like emeralds in the deep blue waters off Pangasinan. This National Park covers a land area of 1,884 hectares with 123 islands. Only three islands have been developed for tourists namely: Governor, Quezon and Children’s islands. Explore its numerous diving spots and caves.

8) CAGAYAN DE ORO. Aside from being a white water rafting destination, in which it is best known for, it also houses a nature park -- the Malasag EcoTourism Village, a 7.2hectare park etched with nature and eco-trails. Here, one finds a microcosm of all ethnic cultures in Northern Mindanao. It is nestled within the slopes of Cugman Watershed in Cagayan de Oro City and was dreamily inspired by the picturesque gardens of Granada in Spain and Butchart Gardens of Canada.

9) SOUTH COTABATO. Lake Sebu in South Cotabato is recognized as one of the most important watershed areas in the country and its 92,450-hectare landscape was proclaimed as a protected area. The entire protected area consists of many small streams, creeks, rivers, and springs. Lake Sebu is one of the water bodies that provide irrigation water for rice lands throughout the provinces of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

10) CEBU. Olango island, just four kilometers off the east coast of Mactan Island in Cebu, is site of a 920-hectare protected wetland called the Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary (OIWS). Every year from February to April and from September to November, the OIWS serves as refuge to thousands of migratory birds traveling the East Asian Migratory Flyway, one of the most important shorebird and waterbird migratory flyways in the world. The Olango Birds and Seascape Tour offers a front-seat view of the wonderful world of birds and nature.

http://www.mb.com.ph/TOUR2007051994231.html

jbkayaker12

May 25th, 2007, 01:06 AM

My reply to your responses:

1. Promoting cultural heritage does not only compromise with built heritage. In Peru they have an annual celebration of the Sun God which is a pre-Colombian tradition that attacks tourist. The event is interesting because the natives are wearing their traditional clothings with many colours and their borloloys (borla) while doing their dances.

This can be applied to the various ethnic dances that we have in other parts of the country. One reason why this is not thriving because of the lack of promotion or people are ashamed because it is not 'cool' especially for it to survive in the future.

2. We have other places in the country that are in 'good' to 'excellent conditions'. Yes, many of the structures are in a 'not so great' conditions but this goes with my reason number 1 for the demise and the lack of funds too. But I am curious why back in the old days they were able to build such stuctures with the help of the community without being the richest province or pueblo.

Lets not make Manila the monopoly of cultural legacy. Many things can be done with the strength (money) and spirit (awareness) of the many.

My opinion why our country and countrymen 'suck' at keeping our heritage is we do not learn from other countries. Otakaw has a point on learning from Indonesia and especially from Latin America. They are the same league as the Philippines but they have not taken foregranted their built and cultural heritage.

Also, I am in awe with these countries because they may not be the most advance, rich or having an English speaking population but they have culture. It is one element that is very obvious to outsiders from the beginning when we see them.

Animo, keep it in mind also that promoting cultural heritage be it dance or songs is not and should not be done only in the Philippines, Bayanihan Dance Troupe just bagged a major cultural competition in Spain not long ago. I am also aware that promoting heritage is not only exclusive to edifices.

Regarding funds, whatever little funds allocated is lost to corruption or mismanagement meaning it is not being spent properly. "Puede na yan nakatayo pa naman eh"!!! Mediocrity!!

Our Unesco Heritage Sites are crumbling and in desperate need of intervention and yet our local officials because of the culture of mediocrity seem not to care. Que sera sera!!

le Reine

May 25th, 2007, 01:28 AM

The biggest problem so far that I can see with regards to promoting heritage is the lack of enthusiasm for it. I can only see a few who are willing to protect their historical structures, etc. Perhaps, I'm wrong.

Animo

May 25th, 2007, 01:33 AM

Animo, keep it in mind also that promoting cultural heritage be it dance or songs is not and should not be done only in the Philippines, Bayanihan Dance Troupe just bagged a major cultural competition in Spain not long ago. I am also aware that promoting heritage is not only exclusive to edifices.

Regarding funds, whatever little funds allocated is lost to corruption or mismanagement meaning it is not being spent properly. "Puede na yan nakatayo pa naman eh"!!! Mediocrity!!

Our Unesco Heritage Sites are crumbling and in desperate need of intervention and yet our local officials because of the culture of mediocrity seem not to care. Que sera sera!!

That is because we are still having a limited mentality. We cannot fathom to look beyond our borders; what else but just around our baranggay. Where do we all start to learn and appreciate our heritage and blessing but at home? Yes, we have the Bayanihan but without the support, participation, and education for the masses then will will strive to survive. These cultural heritage are for the people and not for a selected few.

We have the same mentality and capability because we do not learn from other countries!

jbkayaker12

May 25th, 2007, 04:51 AM

^^^^^......or perhaps colonial mentality, we easily appreciate and embrace other cultures and yet when it comes to our very own we simply take it for granted.

ThisFire

May 25th, 2007, 05:18 PM

^^ Well me, I'm far from being that! :)

OtAkAw

May 25th, 2007, 06:59 PM

In the Philippines kasi most people believe that NEW things are always good things. Kapag yata mahirap (well, not necessarily) ang bansa ganyan talaga eh.

jbkayaker12

May 25th, 2007, 09:45 PM

Social Studies subject in schools should delve more on different aspects of our culture. The earlier the children learn about it the better. It will instill appreciation of our own culture.

Insanedriver

May 25th, 2007, 11:44 PM

^^but everybody hates social studies (well except for me, that's my fave;)

ThisFire

May 26th, 2007, 05:48 PM

^^^ that's really good!

le Reine

May 26th, 2007, 07:00 PM

Well, there's a study before (I just couldn't find it right now), and it is our reading in Polsc that says that Filipino kids are not interested that much or performing poorly in Science and History subjects which explains the regressive effects to the country. True enough, the government is spending less in S&T and History is demoted as part of Makabayan subject and has only 1.5 units. Imagine that! Philippine history has only 1.5 units while Math, Science, English and Filipino has 3.

Kaze

May 27th, 2007, 12:01 AM

Hotel is next to surge after
BPO offices, condominiums (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/may/27/yehey/property/20070527prop1.html)

By Chino S. Leyco

THE Philippines posted a record 13,939 rooms last year, a 9.9-percent increase from the 12,683 recorded in year earlier, Trent M. Frankum, general manager of CB Richard Ellis Philippines, Inc. (CBRE) said.

But Frankum also said these additional hotel rooms are not enough to meet the growing demand for more rooms.

Citing the reports of the Philippine Travel Agencies’ Association (PTAA), he said the country has diverted over half-a-million foreign visitors to other destinations in 2006 because of facility problems in key tourist spots in the country. Owing to lack of hotel rooms and flights into the domestic tourist destinations, the tourism industry registered an income loss of $400 million.

“The accommodation capacity of Boracay and Cebu is maximized, which has become a constraint to growth and is contrary to the goals of government to increase the tourist arrivals,” Frankum said.

Although 2006 had been a good year for Philippine tourism, Frankum said “the steadily upbeat performance since 2004 must be sustained through the upgrading of infrastructure, tourism facilities and services in main tourism destinations.”

And something obviously is being done as the country is getting investments for new hotel projects.

For one, Ayala Hotels, a subsidiary of Ayala Land, partnered with Kingdom Hotels for a $153-million hotel complex within the Ayala Center. This is equivalent to 300 rooms (for Fairmont Hotel), 30 suites (for Raffles Hotel) and 189 Raffles-branded private residences to service the Makati CBD market.

Meanwhile, SM Investments is in the thick of two hotel developments and has joined forces with Carlson Hotel Asia Pacific and Accor to develop an aggregate of 350 and 400 hotel rooms for Manila and Cebu.

For the emerging business district of Alabang, the success of Bellevue Manila Hotel in Northgate Cyberzone prompted its owners to build a third 25-story tower that will provide an additional 198 deluxe rooms, at a project cost of P1.05 billion.

Other hotel projects in the pipeline are the Eastwood Park Hotel & Residential Suites, a 38-story hotel and condotel project on top of a mall complex at the heart of Eastwood City, and the proposed Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts’ six-star hotel on the 1.2-hectare property of BCDA in the Fort Bonifacio Global City.

With the marked increase in tourist arrivals in the Visayas, three international hotel and resort chains plan to set up facilities in the region—the Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts, Raffles Hotels and Resorts and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

Future hotel developments also include the 616-room Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa, a Korean-Filipino venture that broke ground in July 2006 in Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

“We are getting a lot of investment inquiries for hotels, resorts and even golf courses from European, Middle Eastern and Korean investors,” Frankum said.

Now, the main challenge for the property industry is to be able to present to these investors various options, which meet their investment criteria.

He added that from year 2000 to 2006, foreign travelers grew at a compounded annual rate of 20.8 percent.

“Tourist arrival in 2006 reached 2.84 million, up by 8.4 percent versus the 2.62 million in 2005,” he noted.

Frankum said the Koreans topped the list of foreign visitors to the country last year, overtaking the Americans and the Japanese. According to PTAA, the number of direct flights from Seoul to the Philippines averages 22 to 30 a week.

totopurz

May 27th, 2007, 04:18 AM

Explore Ecotourism Sites in Guimaras

Crystal clear waters, coral reefs, natural mangrove forests and unique rock formations are some of the attractions for 'restorative vacations,' an ecotourism package Green Forum Western Visayas is developing with fisherfolks near the Taklong Island National Marine Reserve (TINMAR).

"We're helping develop sites where visitors can enjoy refreshing break from pollution and other urban hassles while restoring the ecological systems especially those damaged by the oil spill," said Dennis Taborno the community facilitator of Green Forum in Brgy. Lapaz and Brgy. San Roque in Nueva Valencia, Guimaras.

Last May 23, in celebration of the International Month of the Oceans, members of We Heal (Workers for Environment and Health), Pro-SR (Professionals for Social Responsibility) and Green Forum enjoyed island hopping of the potential ecotourism sites. "It was an opportunity for the fisherfolks and local youth groups to explore the concepts of restorative vacations and ecotourism by making the activity an on-the-job training of sorts on tour guiding and story telling," added Taborno.

The island hopping started with breakfast of ibus, mango and coffee at an old batil (sailboat) in Sitio Alman Sur. The community talked about their experiences with the sailboats that used to ply cargoes and passengers all over the archipelago. Mastery of wind and sea currents fueled the transfer of goods and people then. Mechanized and steel ships displaced them and the MARINA policy where their cargoes cannot be insured ended their trade.

The group visited Calirohan in Taklong Island for a look on the Tabon Scrubfowl habitat. Tabon, an endangered species, is known as mound-builders or incubator birds. To incubate their eggs they bury them by building large nest-mounds of sand and humus. Decaying vegetation provide the heat that incubate the eggs.

After Calirohan, the group proceeded to Binabaywan for snorkeling and swimming then to Tabonan Islet for a view of a lagoon and bat cave. Lunch at Talisay in Sitio Cumian, Brgy. San Roque. Nearby is an interesting rock formation of an islet shaped like a wild boar with a rich legend of the giant Lumawag. Tour guides interviewed their grandparents for the legends and epics of the areas to share with the visitors.

The tour ended with a group discussion in Isla Miguel for feedbacks from the visitors, food preparers, boatmen and tour guides. There were suggestions for improvements and on policies to deal with claimants who fenced some beaches as private properties.

Filipino Community in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirate raised funds for the capacity building activities on ecotourism as an alternative livelihood of communities affected by the oil-spill. The fund is managed by the CPU Bulig Na with field facilitation by Green Forum.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Coffee and breakfast in an old sailboat. Fisherfolks tell stories of their exploits all over the Philippine archipelago when mastery of sea and wind currents fuel transportation then.
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/guimaras%20tabon%20bird/Batiltalk2.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/guimaras%20tabon%20bird/Picture013.jpg

Young and old enjoy the panorama of crystal clear waters and coral reefs with fishes around in Binabaywan Islet, Brgy. San Roque, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras.
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/guimaras%20tabon%20bird/binabaywanswim2.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/guimaras%20tabon%20bird/binabaywanswim3.jpg

Visitors enjoy the scene and stories of the Giant Lumawag and the wild boar in Isla Miguel, Brgy. San Roque, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras.
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/guimaras%20tabon%20bird/danebinaylohan.jpg

Isla Tabonan named after the Scrubfowl but human activities pushed the bird away. Offers a view of a lagoon and bat cave.
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/guimaras%20tabon%20bird/islatabonan.jpg

jbkayaker12

May 27th, 2007, 08:56 AM

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/guimaras%20tabon%20bird/Batiltalk2.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/guimaras%20tabon%20bird/Picture013.jpg

Just a suggestion, get rid of derelict boats on seashores. Not very nice to look at and eventually derelict boats will turn into garbage collecting bins if it doesnt turn into garbage first. I'm not saying these two are derelicts but from the looks of it, tambayan ng bayan and on its way to becoming derelict.

totopurz

May 27th, 2007, 10:55 AM

Just a suggestion, get of rid of derelict boats on seashores. Not very nice to look at and eventually derelict boats will turn into garbage collecting bins if it doesnt turn into garbage first. I'm not saying these two are derelicts but from the looks of it, tambayan ng bayan and on its way to becoming derelict.

The community will use these 'derelicts' together with the old tree into a reception-cum-coffeeshop area with a view deck nearby overlooking the islets of the Taklong Island National Marine Reserve.

These are their link to the past when they were renowned boat builders and sea farers - gives them pride to share with visitors. Part of the cultural and environmental learning experience to locals and tourists that are the essentials of 'ecotourism.'

You would be surprised these will be among the features of the 'Town and Country' magazine coming out this October. Bisitahin nyo!

jbkayaker12

May 27th, 2007, 12:02 PM

^^^^Just my 2 cents again, if the locals intention is to use this particular boat to share their history, I believe the area is not the best place for it since it is under the elements. It will rot, mabubulok and from the looks of it, the boat is really not in the best shape for it to last a long time. One typhoon and that boat will be gone. I am sure they are proud ship builders and would like to share their knowledge to the rest of us outsiders but I dont think this boat should be their pride and glory and if it is then it needs major work.

totopurz

May 27th, 2007, 03:08 PM

totopurz

May 27th, 2007, 04:51 PM

Just in case some people here are interested to experience these sites in Panay Island:

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/panay%20ecotourism%20sites/VisitMaasinTarp.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/panay%20ecotourism%20sites/malumpatiposter.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/panay%20ecotourism%20sites/naasugposter.jpg

smokingunmanila

May 27th, 2007, 05:36 PM

Putsa ang gaganda..hindi kotuloy alam kung san pupunta una....

jbkayaker12

May 27th, 2007, 08:27 PM

I appreciate your concern, those ships have been beached for about 9 years already and given some works these could last another decade.

Nine years and counting huh? Goodluck na lang, sa Boracay may ganyan din, nabulok na lang pinabayaan ng local government, pati pier kinakalawang na doon sa isang side na hindi masyadong binibisita ng mga turista. I have an issue of Colors travel magazine and it has an article about Batanes, ganyan din may nabubulok na barge, pinabayaan din. From the looks of it that boat might suffer the same fate. Linisin niyo na lang at palubugin gawing house reef, may benefit pa kayo eventually in the long run. Tutubuan ng corals at mga isda ma-attract.

sugarboy

May 28th, 2007, 01:02 PM

crosspost from the advertising thread....

BBDO Guerrero Ortega lands Philippines tourism account

Media Asia 28-May-07, 10:03

MANILA - A project to reposition the Philippines as a major tourist and investment destination has been awarded to BBDO Guerrero Ortega by the Department of Tourism (DOT).

The Omnicom agency saw off McCann Erickson, Euro RSCG, Dentsu and local agencies Avellana and J Romero & Associates to claim the business, called via a government tender by The Department of Tourism.

Espma

May 28th, 2007, 02:37 PM

Hotels next to surge in Philippines after BPO offices, condos

MANILA, Philippines — In a recent public disclosure of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA), the Philippines diverted over 500,000 foreign visitors to other destinations in 2006 due to lack of accommodation facilities in most of the key tourists spots in the country. This resulted to income loss amounting to about US$400 million due to lack of hotel rooms and flights into the tourist destinations of the Philippines.

According to reports, the accommodation capacity of Boracay and Cebu are already maximized, which has become a constraint to growth and is contrary to the goals of government to increase the tourist arrivals both from foreign travellers and local tourists.

Foreign Travellers grew at a compounded annual rate of 20.8% from 2000 to 2006. Tourist arrival in 2006 reached 2.84 million, up by 8.4 percent versus the 2.62 million in 2005. Koreans topped the list of foreign visitors to the country last year, overtaking the Americans and the Japanese. According to reports, the number of direct flights from Seoul to the Philippines averages between 22 and 30 per week.

In terms of number of hotel rooms, the Philippines posted a record 13,939 rooms in 2006, a 9.9% increase from the 12,683 recorded in 2005. However, these additional hotel rooms are still not enough to meet the growing demand.

Last year was a good year for Philippine Tourism and the steadily upbeat performance since 2004 must be sustained through the upgrading of infrastructure, tourism facilities and services in main tourism destinations (e.g. Boracay, Cebu City, and Palawan) as well as increasing the number of hotel and resort facilities.

With this positive development, the Philippines is getting a lot of investments for new hotel development. Ayala Hotels, a subsidiary of Ayala Land, partnered with Kingdom Hotels for a US$153 million hotel complex within the Ayala Center. This is equivalent to 300-rooms (for Fairmont Hotel), 30 suites (for Raffles Hotel) and 189 Raffles-branded private residences to service the Makati CBD market.

Meanwhile, SM Investments is also pursuing two hotel developments in the Bay Area and Cebu City together with Carlson Hotel Asia Pacific and Accor to develop an aggregate of 350 and 400 hotel rooms for Manila and Cebu respectively.

For the emerging business district of Alabang, the success of Bellevue Manila Hotel in Northgate Cyberzone prompted its owners to build a third 25-storey tower that will provide an additional 198 deluxe rooms, at a project cost of PhP1.05 billion.

Other hotel projects in the pipeline are the Eastwood Park Hotel & Residential Suites, a 38-storey hotel and condotel project on top of a mall complex at the heart of Eastwood City, and the proposed Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts’ six-star hotel on the 1.2-hectare property of BCDA in the Fort Bonifacio Global City. And because of the marked increase in tourist arrivals in the Visayas, three international hotel and resort chains are planning to set up facilities in the region, namely, Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts, Raffles Hotels and Resorts, and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Future hotel developments also include the 616-room Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa, a Korean-Filipino venture which broke ground in July 2006 in Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

According to Trent Frankum, General Manager of CBRE Philippines, “We are getting a lot of investment inquiries for hotels, resorts and even golf courses from European, Middle Eastern and Korean investors. “ This is a clear indication of pent-up demand for investment-grade tourism-related projects such as hotels and resorts. The Philippine archipelago has a lot to offer to these foreign tourist and investors. The challenge for the property industry is to be able to present to these investors various options which meet their investment criteria.
________________________________________________________________

ughh 500,000 FOREIGN tourists diverted.....*sigh*

Sinjin P.

May 29th, 2007, 07:39 AM

14 hotels, restos to go smoke-free
on No-Tobacco Day (http://businessmirror.com.ph/05292007/headlines09.html)
By Cher Jimenez
Reporter

AT least 14 hotels and restaurants have committed to a total smoking ban on Thursday to mark World No-Tobacco Day, the Department of Health (DOH) announced on Monday.

“We are considering these turn of events as a high point in the government’s campaign for a healthy lifestyle. Smoking is indeed deadly, even in its second-hand form,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

At present, the economic burden caused by first-hand smoking alone in the Philippines is estimated to be at US$6 billion a year.

The Framework Convention Alliance Philippines (FCAP) said among the establishments declared smoke-free on May 31 are Dusit Hotel,
Intercontinental Hotel, Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Le Soufflé Restaurant and Renaissance Hotel in Makati.

Other hotels in Quezon City, Pasay, Mandaluyong and Manila have also committed to ban smoking on that day. Meanwhile, Marco Polo Hotel and Le Soufflé in Makati City and Fernandina Suites 88 in Quezon City have declared their establishments smoke-free even after May 31.

This is the first time private establishments have responded positively to the campaign against smoking; only a few firms are complying with the law that bans tobacco use in public areas.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that governments require all indoor areas—businesses, workplaces, schools and hospitals—to be smoke-free.

Dr. Jean Marc Olivé, WHO’s representative to the Philippines, said banning smoking in public places is not meant to infringe on the rights of tobacco users but to protect second-hand smokers.

“Smoking bans are not about infringing rights. They are about protecting people’s health,” said Olivé, adding that “there is no safe level of human exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.”

Second-hand smoke causes at least 200,000 deaths in the world’s workplaces, 14 percent of all work-related deaths caused by diseases, and 2.8 percent of lung cancers, according to the WHO.

Many of these workers are personnel manning restaurants and entertainment joints.

There are a total of 4,000 known chemicals in cigarettes, of which more than 50 are cancerous.

smokingunmanila

May 29th, 2007, 08:22 AM

Ang sogo ba nag commit din...ang baho kasi ng rooms...amoy yosi..nag request ako ng non-smoking eh tinapon ako palabas....ka asar nga...

amigo32

May 29th, 2007, 11:39 AM

hehehe, baka yung non smoking nila sa labas kaya dun ka pinapunta smokin'?

heathcliff

May 29th, 2007, 12:22 PM

If you're visiting Panay Island, you should go to our beaches and caves in Capiz, especially Baybay beach in Roxas City. Our province is the seafood capital of the Philippines. :)

http://www.capiz.gov.ph/cms/images/seafood1.jpg

http://www.capiz.gov.ph/cms/images/bay2beach.gif
Baybay beach with its fine gray-black sand

http://www.capiz.gov.ph/cms/images/virginbeach.gif
White sand beach in Ivisan

http://www.capiz.gov.ph/cms/images/casan2.jpg
Beach in Casanayan, Pilar

http://www.capiz.gov.ph/cms/images/pilarcaves.jpg
One of the caves found in Pilar

http://www.capiz.gov.ph/cms/images/quipotcave.gif
Quipot cave in Mambusao

http://www.capiz.gov.ph/cms/images/suhot.jpg
Suhot cave in Dumalag

Sinjin P.

May 29th, 2007, 12:26 PM

^ Seafood capital :drool: Do you have those sea urchins? (Known locally as "suwaki/tihi-tihi") How about those "lato" and "guso"? I love those! :D

heathcliff

May 29th, 2007, 12:32 PM

http://www.capiz.gov.ph/cms/images/dumalag_church.jpg
Dumalag Church, finished in 1872

http://www.capiz.gov.ph/cms/images/panay_church.jpg
Panay Church, also built during the Spanish period. It holds what is reputed to be the largest church bell in Southeast Asia and the second largest in the world. The huge antique bell is surrounded by eight smaller bells.

http://www.capiz.gov.ph/cms/images/bell.gif

http://www.capiz.gov.ph/cms/images/moro.jpg
Moro towers, built in 1814 to repel the invading Moros(Muslims) and Portuguese colonizers

Credits to: http://www.capiz.gov.ph/

kiretoce

June 6th, 2007, 11:31 PM

DOT’s 3.2 million tourists well in sight (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/june/07/yehey/business/20070607bus15.html)

There’s no stopping that dynamic duo of the Department of Tourism—Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano and Undersecretary for Planning and Promotions Edu Jarque.

Having spent a mere overnight stay last weekend in Boracay—the crown jewel of the local sun, sand and sea market—to inaugurate the spectacular new garden wing of the paradise island’s undisputable No 1 resort, the Boracay Regency, the two were heading to foreign climes this week in their relentless quest to hit the 3.2 million inbound tourists mark by the end of 2007.

Durano was off to South Korea—now unarguably the No 1 source of tourists to the Philippines, with something like 19,000 air seats booked each month from Seoul to Manila—for Korea’s biggest travel exhibition. On the other hand Jarque was going to Shanghai to attend a travel fair exclusively devoted to the latest hip trend in the global tourism market—spa and wellness.

Talking of China, the Philippine pavilion was presented with the Best in Marketing Support award at the recent Guang-zhou International Travel Fair.

The country’s 40-man delegation was cited for their professionalism and marketing savvy, the impressive and comprehensive marketing materials, the cooperation and enthusiasm of the government and private travel sector, the highly applauded performances of the Bayanihan National Folk Dance Company and the unique experience of hilot, or Philippine massage.

The GITF is one of the largest international travel expositions in China. Held at the Guangzhou Jinhan Exhibition Center, this year’s event featured over 600 booths by exhibitors from 37 countries and regions.

“The whole world is aiming at the China market, hoping to get a larger share of this fast-growing traveling population. The Philippines, besides having beaches, natural attractions and shopping areas, banks on a strong Chinese-influenced heritage and prominent Tsinoy community to present the country as conducive for leisure and ideal for investment,” explained Secretary Durano.

China is currently the country’s fourth largest source of tourists and one of the top priority markets. A total of 133,585 visitors arrived during 2006, marking a 24-percent increase from 2005. Durano attributed the growth to the continued promotional activities that focus on high-yield areas such as Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.

The delegation to the GITF was led by Undersecretary Jarque, accompanied by DOT Team China members Pamela Samaniego, Gigi Liwanag and Marian Obispo. Guangzhou-based marketing representative Martin Pan, completed the department’s entourage.

The Philippine booth occupied 72 square meters and carried the combined beach and water sports, and spa and wellness theme. The travel agencies who joined were CK & Phil. Travel Limited, Jeron Travel and Tours, Philippine Straits Travel and Yoyo Holidays Travel Service. Tourism establishments Badian Island Resort and Spa, Le Petite Paradis, Marco Polo Davao and Patio Pacific also participated. The Philippine Leisure and Retirement Authority was also present to promote the country as a retirement haven.

The Bayanihan National Folk Dance Company took center stage at the three-day event, regaling the audience with daily performances. The group also delighted the visitors of the China International Online Travel Fair, which was held at the same time and venue as the GITF.

A special area of the Philippine pavilion offered hilot, or Philippine touch therapy, to interested guests. Masseuses Joseph Macaspac and Josielyn Carel, courtesy of North Haven Spa, Baguio and Le Petite Paradis, Tagaytay respectively, provided a soothing break amidst the hectic exhibit halls.

Another indication of China’s positive investment interest in the country is through air links. China Southern Airlines has increased its Guangzhou-Manila flights from three to five times weekly to support a growing demand from Chinese tourists and businessmen.

bariQ

June 7th, 2007, 12:52 AM

ako ive visited many tourist spots in the Philippines, all i can say is there is lack of service when it comes to non upscale places. take a a look at intramuros? bat may mga tambay sa loob? bat may mga bata sa daan? ano ba yan? if i were a tourist, id feel awkward! its just like stepping into a subdivision! tinititigan ka pa! and for Luneta, sa may greenery sa katabi nito, SANGKATUTAK ang basura!!! tapos may naglalandian pang mga tao! ANO BA YAN?! tapos ang mga taxi namimili pa ng pasahero! WTF! well... dun sa amin, may historic place na plaque lang ang nakalagay, tapos kung sino sino lang ang pumapasok tsk tsk... we need better infrastructures around a historic place and better service, dapat naka uniform at professional! di naka tshirt na pambahay.

smokingunmanila

June 7th, 2007, 07:31 AM

If you happen to watch regine's movie " pano kita iibigin " not sure of the title...the resort owner is my friend and they are selling lots in that area from 1200per square up to 2500 per square..with roads...PM me kung may gusto..cuts of lots is from 200- 1000

schaner

June 7th, 2007, 12:33 PM

^^ I haven't actually seen the movie, but I was told that the movie was shot in Zambales? The part where Regine & Piolo rode a motorbike looks like it was somewhere in Botolan.

Astig sa Zambales. You guys can't go wrong getting property there. It's mostly undeveloped, but has alot of potential.

Animo

June 8th, 2007, 08:23 AM

Iloilo City (8 June) -- Roxas City (8 June) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's 6-day official and working visits to the Vatican City, Portugal and China, which further strengthened the religious, cultural, diplomatic and economic relations of the Philippines with these countries, has also pushed the promotion of tourism and maritime industries of the country.

The President said that her visit to Portugal, specifically her meetings with Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva and the President of the Assembly of the Republic Jaime Gama, would further strengthen friendly ties between the Philippines and Portugal, one of the nations with a fast emerging economy and a GDP per capita of $22,677, the 34th highest in the world.

The President, however, said the interaction was "not much on trade and investments" as Portugal has a practice of not investing outside (in other countries), but she added that common concerns on tourism and the maritime industry were discussed.

In related developments, the government is also looking forward to the international exposition in Zaragoza, Spain next year as an opportunity to promote the Philippines as one of the best trade and tourism destinations in the world.

At his regular media briefing in Malacanang, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the four-month Expo Zaragoza 2008, with the theme: "Water & Sustainable Development," is highly relevant to the Philippines, an archipelagic country, as the world's number one dive site and the center of marine biodiversity in the world.

He said the President has signed Administrative Order No. 177 creating a National Organizing Committee (NOC) chaired by the Department of Tourism (DOT) as a commitment of the Philippine participation in the international exposition from June 14 to Sept. 14, 2008.

The creation of the NOC would ensure that the economic advantages of the Philippine presentation during the exposition are maximized through a concerted and effective country approach, Ermita said.

The DOT, with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) as vice-chairman, is tasked to formulate directives for the planning, operation, and management of the Philippine Pavilion to ensure the country's successful participation in the exposition.

The President stressed that participation in the exposition provides an excellent opportunity for the Philippines to present its business/ investment competitiveness, cultural heritage, and bolster the country's foothold as the world's top dive site and center of marine biodiversity.

Aside from the goodwill and trade and tourism benefits that the Philippines expects to derive from its participation, the exposition will also provide valuable insights and new learning opportunities on recent trends, best practices and innovative concepts on water technology that could help improve the country's policy and development framework on water and sustainable development. (PIA)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p070608.htm&no=06

Animo

June 8th, 2007, 08:27 AM

Tacloban City (June 2) -- Medical tourism is a cash-rich industry. In Asia alone, studies have shown that some $390 billion are spent annually for healthcare. Most of this, finds its way into Thailand, India and Singapore, countries which currently lead the way in this field.

Can you imagine if the Philippines can just bite off a 10-percent chunk of this total budget? And that is just for medical tourism, not including the plain pleasure seekers, the bargain hunters, and the sightseers.

Medical tourism consists of medical care, health and wellness, traditional and alternative health care such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, virgin coconut oil, organic food, neutraceuticals and long-term tourism and international retirement health zones where foreign patients can recuperate, rehabilitate and retire. To complete the picture, the components of tourism and shopping have been added to increase the choices of tourists and bring in more.

Among the services that the country offers to foreigners are elective procedures such as cosmetic surgery, liposuction and dental surgery, and life-saving procedures such as coronary bypass surgery, kidney transplants and cancer treatment.

As testimony to the country’s advantages in medical tourism, a general checkup in the United States costs $5,000 while it will cost only the equivalent of $500 in the Philippines. Coronary bypass surgery, which clocks up $50,000 in the United States, will cost only $25,000 locally. And while kidney transplants can reach up to $150,000 abroad, it will only cost $25,000 here.

Even if the plane fare is added, trip to resort and a $100 gift certificate to add to their shopping money after they recover, the Philippine rate will still come out so much cheaper than having the surgeries abroad.

Cost is not only the country’s competitive advantage. The Philippines is also blessed with well-trained and highly skilled medical practitioners that are fluent in English and have received postgraduate training in the developed countries. Nurses and paramedical staff are also one of the best, as attested by the strong demand for their services and skills in foreign countries.

Besides competence, they are also known for their compassion, a key ingredient in caring for patients.

When the patients recuperate from the medical procedures that they came for, the variety of the country’s tourism offerings is also seen as a key advantage to luring medical tourism.

For sure, there will be the staple and indispensable aqua and beach tourism in Cebu, Palawan, Albay, Camiguin, Bohol, Boracay and of course Eastern Visayas. But the country also will offer historical, heritage and cultural tourism in places such as Leyte in Eastern Visayas, Vigan in Ilocos, the Banawe Rice Terraces, Fort Santiago and Intramuros, and the many interesting sites and activities in every province.

And don’t forget the great and affordable shopping opportunities which are available in the Philippines particularly in Makati, Ortigas, Libis, Global City and even Divisoria. (PIA 8)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p070602.htm&no=20&r=&y=&mo=

smokingunmanila

June 8th, 2007, 08:31 AM

Kung ako sa DOT..I will appoint Belo as ambassador of Medical Tourism in our country...she's good looking and she can market well.

OtAkAw

June 8th, 2007, 11:45 AM

^^Ang mahal siguro ng talent fee nun.

bariQ

June 8th, 2007, 12:11 PM

puede naba si doc manny calayan?

dave_m

June 8th, 2007, 06:52 PM

kiretoce

June 13th, 2007, 10:30 PM

More Taiwan Visitors Eager to Explore the Philippines (http://www.chinapost.com.tw/supplement/112181.htm)

Statistics show that more Taiwan tourists to the Philippines are keen to exploring regions outside of Manila, said Gerard O. Panga, Tourism Representative of the Manila Economic & Cultural Office's (MECO) Department of Tourism.

Panga said that the number of Taiwan tourists visiting areas outside of Manila grew the most among all tourists last year by a rate of 38 percent despite a slight decline of the total number of Taiwan tourists to the Philippines in 2006.

"Taiwan people are now more keen on visiting the other destinations outside of Manila," said Panga.

Panga said that the overall economic situation in Taiwan has hindered the desire of Taiwan tourists to spend money on visiting the Philippines.

However, the fact that more tourists are visiting areas in the Philippines outside of Manila shows a renewed interest in the Philippine tourism market by the Taiwan people.

"The mere fact that Taiwan people are traveling to the Philippines despite of what is happening in Taiwan and the Philippines means that there is already a renewed, heightened interest in the market," said Panga.

To serve the growing number of Taiwan tourists to regions outside of Manila, MECO is promoting a package by the Philippine Airlines to the Palawan islands in southern Luzon, which has seen a growing number of tourists.

A cluster of over one thousand islands, Palawan features an underground river that has been designated a UNESCO Heritage site where visitors can canoe under caves.

A further incentive for Taiwan people to travel the Philippines, the Philippine low-cost airline of Cebu Pacific Air will make its maiden voyage between Taipei and Manila on June 13.

The airline had created a stir in the market by offering a pre-selling fare of NT$588 for a one-way trip to Manila in March.

Cebu Pacific Air will increase its one-way fare to Manila to NT$1,388, still significantly lower than other carriers, while the daily flights between Taipei and Manila commences.

MECO is also promoting an English learning summer camp in Cebu for Taiwan students.

The one-month summer camp will include six-hours-a-day, five-days-a-week English training at the Cleverlearn English Language Institute in Cebu, side tours of the city and the islands as well as other socio-cultural activities.

The cost of NT$50,000 will cover roundtrip air tickets on Mandarin Air and full board and lodging.

Taiwan people who are not familiar with the Philippines as a travel destination will be able to find new Chinese travel guides in bookstores, said Panga.

A Chinese version of the Insight Guides Philippines has just been published and was launched at the Xin Yi Eslite Bookstore on June 8. It provides an addition to the growing selection of Chinese travel guides on the Philippines on the market.

waketrex

June 14th, 2007, 07:41 AM

[b]

The one-month summer camp will include six-hours-a-day, five-days-a-week English training at the Cleverlearn English Language Institute in Cebu, side tours of the city and the islands as well as other socio-cultural activities.

Taiwan people who are not familiar with the Philippines as a travel destination will be able to find new Chinese travel guides in bookstores, said Panga.

Cleverlearn, that's by Bigfoot too, wee! :banana:

Well they should become more familiar with our country sooner or later, China's claws might just grab them, just like that.

Risk Taker

June 14th, 2007, 08:06 AM

More Taiwan Visitors Eager to Explore the Philippines (http://www.chinapost.com.tw/supplement/112181.htm)

Panga said that the overall economic situation in Taiwan has hindered the desire of Taiwan tourists to spend money on visiting the Philippines.

"The mere fact that Taiwan people are traveling to the Philippines despite of what is happening in Taiwan and the Philippines means that there is already a renewed, heightened interest in the market," said Panga.

wow medyo di ko talaga ma gets tong sinasabi nya...it's definitely not the economic situation of taiwan that hinders it to travel to philippines. Taiwanese still travels to other countries but seldom to philippines, I think it's the effort of the people there in MECO. They're lazy and there's a lot of bureauracy around. they surely lack promotions and marketing compared to thailand, vietnam and china. And still they have to do a lot of effort in establishing a more friendly relations with taiwan to lure more taiwanese tourists. I've seen programs in tv promoting vietnam and thailand before but there's no philippines.

Louman

June 14th, 2007, 10:01 AM

Has anyone noticed that the Department of Tourism website is classified as harmful by Google?

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=vl3&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=Department+of+Tourism+Philippines&spell=1

This little problem may pose a big threat to those who may be more interested in going to our country for tourism. Unfortunately, I'm not entirely sure what has happened to the website to be classified as harmful. Oddly, the wow Philippines site, wowphilippines.com.ph is still "safe."

amigo32

June 14th, 2007, 10:45 AM

Hindi naman kasi tao nag re-rate nyan. Keywords lang naman hinahanap ng program. Siguro nabasa, yung word na jolo, sulu, mindanao, kaya yun. hehehe

wynngd

June 14th, 2007, 10:55 AM

Risk Taker

June 14th, 2007, 11:43 AM

Just heard this in a commercial here in Taiwan early this morning. Wow Philippines is promoting this English Camp for only NT$50,000. :banana: :banana: This really looks cheap to Taiwanese since studying English is very expensive for them. Again, the usual reason why our neighborers are going to our country is for English.

o meron na, san mo mapanood yan. anong channel? medyo ok ok na din pala. are you in taiwan also?

wynngd

June 14th, 2007, 01:30 PM

Yeap, sa RT FM lang in there one and only english FM station here. Di ko alam if they have TV commercials eh. I'm in HsinChu right now. Business as usual. Are you in Taiwan too?

Risk Taker

June 14th, 2007, 01:49 PM

Yeap, sa RT FM lang in there one and only english FM station here. Di ko alam if they have TV commercials eh. I'm in HsinChu right now. Business as usual. Are you in Taiwan too?

ah ok thanks. so wala ako chance maka rinig nyan, he he...currently based here in china but we have a house there in taiwan. where are you in hsinchu buti at least meron sscer rin na based dyan sa taiwan.

wynngd

June 14th, 2007, 01:55 PM

Sa Holland Village along Wu Ling Road.Condo style na apartment. Business trip lang to for 1 month every other month. Saan bahay nyo dito?

Risk Taker

June 14th, 2007, 02:03 PM

crappypants

June 14th, 2007, 05:47 PM

pwede ba namen kayong bisitahen sa taiwan?

Risk Taker

June 14th, 2007, 06:13 PM

^^ pede syempre pag nag abutan tayo don, he he. i'm based here in china right now and seldom go back to taiwan. when are you planning to go to taiwan ba?

crappypants

June 14th, 2007, 08:44 PM

pag nandiyan ka na . he he.

wynngd

June 15th, 2007, 05:02 AM

ah ok, we have a house in Chu Pei very near carrefour, 5 mins drive from there and then in Tainan, my hubby works before in science base in Hsinchu and me in Taipei. so you mean you have go back to pinas every month and return there again, pagod naman yan. anong business mo dyan if you feel like answering lang. and wehre is that Holland Village exactly, anong chinese nya medyo di ko familiar english terms

Kakapagod nga. Business trip to every other month to support our new products dito sa HsinChu Science park. Di ko masagot yung exactly kasi di ako ganun kagaling sa Mandarin :lol: group sya ng 21 mid rise buildings (20 floors each) if you're in the freeway going to nanliao merong exit dun papuntang Wuling Rd. pagbaba ng freeway sa right mo na yung Holland village.

Risk Taker

June 15th, 2007, 07:09 PM

Kakapagod nga. Business trip to every other month to support our new products dito sa HsinChu Science park. Di ko masagot yung exactly kasi di ako ganun kagaling sa Mandarin :lol: group sya ng 21 mid rise buildings (20 floors each) if you're in the freeway going to nanliao merong exit dun papuntang Wuling Rd. pagbaba ng freeway sa right mo na yung Holland village.

ok lang ano products nyo pala dyan, ano name company nyo...nadaanan ko na rin yan pero di ko lang nakita siguro yang holland village. tagal ka na rin ba dyan ba't di ka stay nang medyo matagal konti? yung ads pala nang MECO promoting pinas wala ka may nakita sa newspaper? ba't radio lang, usually naman nakikinig eh pinoy o foreigners lang eh hindi naman sila market non no

pag nandiyan ka na . he he.

ok we usually go back to taiwan every 6 months and next month or maybe august baka uwi kami but usually 1 week lang din stay namin don tapos balik agad dito kaya medyo very limited din ang time pag uwi sa taiwan. san ka ba nakabased malapit lang ba? ok lang sana kung malapit

kiretoce

June 18th, 2007, 11:10 PM

Filipino-Norwegian Beauty Queen Helps Promote Philippines' Tourism
Miss Universe pageant from Norway Kirby Ann Basken continues to fulfill her duties as reigning Mutya ng Pilipinas by bringing tourists to the Philippines. (http://www.scandasia.com/viewNews.php?coun_code=no&news_id=3411)

http://www.scandasia.com/php/news_images/full_news_2331.gif
Basken, born to a Filipino mother and Norwegian father, was crowned Mutya ng Pilipinas last year. In April this year, she bagged the Miss Norway crown making her the European country's representative to the Miss Universe pageant.

The 5-foot-9 television presenter arrived from Norway on 13 June 2007, not only to relinquish her title to the next Mutya, but also to take her Norwegian friends to several destinations in the country.

"I wish we have more time, we'll be here for only two weeks," Basken, 21, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in an interview at the Sulo Hotel in Quezon City. She said she will take her friends to Boracay, and will later explore Palawan, Cebu, Mindoro and Iloilo if they still have time.

She also expressed enthusiasm at the prospect of taking Norwegians to see the Banaue Rice Terraces.

"It's one of the wonders of the world!" she told her two friends.

Basken also said Miss Norway 2006 Martine Jonassen has accepted her invitation to visit the Philippines. The Norwegian beauty is set to arrive this month to shoot a television feature about Boracay and the Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant.

The Filipino-Norwegian stunner said that even after her reign as Mutya ends on June 22, she will still be an ambassador of Philippine tourism. "I'm not yet done bringing Norwegians to the Philippines," she declared.

"Most Norwegians only know the bad things about the Philippines," she said. "But I tell them these things are just blown up."

But when she promotes the country, she avoids sugar-coating. "I tell them the truth. Sure there are lots of beautiful places and warm people but they can't expect it to be just a paradise." She said the people she invites "know what to expect," but declined to elaborate.

"I tell them about places where they can get away from a lot of tourists, where they can really learn about the Filipino culture from the locals who are friendly and are ready to open their doors to other people," shared Basken. "You can see the real Philippines through the eyes of these people," she added.

And when she retires, Basken said she would still choose to stay in the Philippines. "I love Boracay. But when I am not working anymore, I would rather settle in a serene place, like Palawan," she said, adding "definitely not in Metro Manila, I can't take the traffic here."

kiretoce

June 22nd, 2007, 06:16 PM

Giants of the deep draw tourists to quiet corner of Philippines (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?News%20Flash&p=54&type=2&sec=91&aid=200706225)

The enormous grey whale shark glides effortlessly in the murky waters off Donsol in the eastern Philippines, its distinctive pale yellow spotted back and fins clearly visible as excited tourists prepare to enter the water from nearby outrigger canoes.

They swim to within a few metres (feet) of these gentle giants of the deep as their guide makes sure they give the whale shark plenty of room to move.

The world's largest fish, some as big as a school bus and weighing up to 30 tonnes, are not aggressive.

"But it's advisable not to get too close in case they decide to turn over," Angela Quiros, a marine biologist and one of the country's leading experts on the whale shark, told AFP recently.

Whale sharks have been a common site in the waters off this coastal town for as long as anyone here can remember, feasting on the rich plankton between January and June.

Once hunted for its soft white meat, known throughout Southeast Asia as "tofu shark," the whale shark is now protected and has transformed this sleepy corner of the Philippines 600 kilometres (372 miles) south east of Manila into a major eco-tourism centre.

"Since 1998 when the government passed a law protecting the whale shark, known locally as 'butanding,' tourism and revenue numbers have shot up dramatically," said local tourism coordinator Salvador Adrao.

Last year, almost 11,000 tourists visited Donsol, up from around 900 in 1998. Revenues from eco-tourism have risen to an estimated 12 million pesos, from 454,875 pesos in the same period.

"Swimming with whale sharks has transformed Donsol from a sleepy fishing village into an eco-tourism centre," Adrao said.

"The only problem we have is the infrastructure. We can't cope with the tourism numbers we now have, let alone any increase."

Compared to some of the more developed areas for whale shark watching such as Ningaloo Reef off Western Australia, Donsol is still very cheap.

"That's why the tourists, especially the foreigners, come to Donsol," he said.

Ten years ago environmentalists fought a bitter campaign to end the slaughter of the whale shark, forcing the Philippine government to pass a law protecting the creature.

"I can't believe how this place has changed," said Korina Escudero, an underwater film maker and one of the original campaigners for the protection of the whale shark.

"The attitudes of the local people towards conservation rather than killing has been quite extraordinary. They can see the value in protecting these magnificent creatures. People come from all over the world just to see and swim with them.

"The publicity we gave to the senseless slaughter just hit a chord and people reacted. Villagers even managed to free two whale sharks that had been tied by their tails to coconut trees as they floundered in shallow water off a local beach.

"You can still see them today off Donsol. They are easy to identify as they still have the rope around their tails. We call them Big Lucky and Little Lucky."

One local fisherman said: "There was a time when the butanding was considered a pest. They would plough through our nets driving away smaller fish.

"Tourism has changed all that. Now we see the value in protecting them. Not only Filipinos but people from around the world come to swim with these giant fish."

Quiros and a small team of marine biologists and volunteers have spent more than a week photographing, measuring and taking tissue samples from the whale sharks for genetic analysis.

"It will help us build a better picture of the whale shark," said Deni Ramirez, a marine biologist from Mexico who specialises in whale shark genetics.

The programme is the first of its kind in the Philippines and is being partly financed by Mexico-based cement multi-national CEMEX Philippines Foundation and Conservation International.

"We hope that through the genetic analysis we will get a better understanding about their migratory patterns, age and breeding habits," Ramirez said.

"No one knows how long these fish live for. Some estimates have said up to 180 years. But we just don't know."

Quiros said a female can carry up to 300 eggs, each measuring up to 18 centimetres (seven inches). When hatched, the young are 40 to 60 centimetres long.

"They hatch inside the mother but very few survive to maturity," said Quiros.

"You very rarely see juvenile whale sharks. I haven't seen any here in Donsol but the local fishermen have so we know that the young are still in the area.

"Once the juvenile has established itself the mother will leave it and move on."

Despite its name and size, the whale shark is not a whale but classified in a family of its own called Rhincodontidae. Its closest relatives are the leopard and nurse sharks.

Romeo Trono, executive director for Conservation International in the Philippines said eco-tourism has helped save the whale shark from extinction but it hasn't stopped the killing.

"It still goes on in some parts of the country but not to the extent it did a few decades ago.

"It takes time to educate poor people that there are alternatives to killing a species off.

"Donsol is an example of what can be done if a unique species is protected."

3cr

June 26th, 2007, 09:46 AM

Tourism investments in RP has reached P100 B, says DoT
Manila Bulletin
http://www.mb.com.ph/MAIN2007062696585.html

The heightened efforts of the Department of Tourism (DoT) headed by Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano in attracting foreign and local businesses to invest in Philippine tourism have resulted to some P100 billion investments since 2005.

With the renewed and keen interest from both local and foreign groups in the industry, the Department has been consistent in maintaining its focus on ensuring the safety and security of tourists, the preservation, protection and sustainability of destinations as well as the sustained interest of investors in the country.

Regarding a recent report stating that the Department of Tourism endorsed to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) the construction of a high-end spa and wellness resort on Taal Volcano by a Korean firm, Jung Ang Interventure Inc, the Department maintains the following:

The DoT Head Office and Regional Office did not issue any endorsement to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in relation to the Korean firm’s venture;

The Department adheres to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) classification that the Taal Volcano is active and a permanent danger zone and therefore will not endorse any project within and around the area that will put at risk both tourists and investors;

The Taal Volcano is considered by the Department as a sightseeing destination only and will not promote nor identify it as a site for establishing a resort, hotel or spa;

The DoT supports Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes’ instructions to review the issuance of the ECC.

Further, the Department appreciates the Korean firm’s interest in investing in the Philippines and is willing to assist the group in identifying other strategic areas to continue and pursue their investment.

Virtute

June 26th, 2007, 07:11 PM

Hi all,

Sorry if this was posted already but I saw this tourism video called "Philippines, More than the Usual" in youtube. I'm quite impressed by it and makes me want to go back this year lol.

Enjoy!
RNlgWfqenxU

jaywalker

July 2nd, 2007, 08:37 PM

Education tourism agenda pushed
by CHED to increase visitor arrivals
First it was medical tourism, now it's education tourism.

The Commission on Higher Education is pushing to make the Philippines an alternative educational destination for its neighboring countries, a move which is being supported by Malacañang.

The CHED program seeks "to position the Philippines as an alternative education destination to China or Russia where most Korean students normally go" and complement the government's tourist promotion program. Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said in statement from Malacañang yesterday that Manila is an "attractive alternative" destination for Korean students because of three main factors: the short distance between Seoul and Manila, the affordability of Philippine education, and the Filipinos' fluency in English.

An estimated 100,000 South Korean students are enrolled in various private and state-run colleges and universities in the country.

Soon, even Chinese and Indian students are expected to arrive, said Bunye, who is also the presidential spokesperson, the press statement said. The Philippine government and China's Ministry of Education have signed recently an agreement "allowing Chinese students who could not be accommodated in China's universities to study in the Philippines."

Bunye said that Chinese students find it very attractive to study in the Philippines because they would be paying only half the price - $1,000 per semester in the Philippines compared to $2,000 per semester in China.

Aside from Koreans, about 1,600 students from India are expected to enroll in Philippine colleges and universities this September. "First, it was medical tourism. Now, another emerging trend is educational tourism," Bunye said in his statement.*

Visayan Daily Star

garzland

July 4th, 2007, 04:46 PM

Websites Yahoo! and AskMen.com have ranked Boracay Island as one of the 10 best beaches in the world. It's the only Asian beach in world's best 10 beaches.

Yahoo!, the most visited website on the Internet with more than 412 million users, ranked Boracay as the 7th best beach in the world. Boracay Island is the only Asian beach included in the popular search engine list. Beaches in California and Hawaii have dominated the list.

In AskMen.com is a Canadianbased, free online men's web portal. Its sections feature topics that are pertinent to men. Among its sections are Fashion and Lifestyle, Health and Sports, and Dating and Love. It said Boracay island is ranked 8th in its list.

Yahoo! and AskMen.com also emphasized the "numerous positive feedback" they received from website readers and the wide range of available attractions each chosen beach offers.

In late 1980s, this resort island was named by two travel magazines as one of the world's top 10 beaches. The island lost the title when the issue on coliform contamination hit this resort island in mid-1990s.

With this positive exposure in the worldwide web, Aklan Gov. Carlito Marquez is confident that business will be good on this resort island.

Boracay is famous for its powdery white sand, pristine waters and lush tropical forests.

Marquez attributed Boracay's positive image abroad to the Department of Tourism's aggressive promotional activities.
Thumbnail: Boracay

Boracay's two primary tourism beaches, White Beach and Bulabog Beach, are located on opposite sides of the island's narrow area. White Beach faces westwards and Bulabog Beach faces eastwards. The island also has several other beaches.

White Beach is the main tourism beach. It is a bit over four kilometers long and is lined with resorts, hotels, lodging houses, restaurants, and other tourism-related businesses.

In the central portion stretching for about two kilometers, there is a footpath known as the Beachfront Path separating the beach itself from the establishments located along it.

Several roads and paths connect the Beachfront Path to Boracay's Main Road, a vehicular road which runs the length of the island. At the northern end of White Beach, a footpath runs around the headland there and connects White Beach with Diniwid Beach.

Across the island from White Beach is Bulabog Beach, a secondary tourism beach and Boracay's main windsurfing and kiteboarding area.

source (http://www.goodnewspilipinas.com/docs/beauty_of_the_philippines/current/yahoo_boracay.html)

kiretoce

July 5th, 2007, 06:22 PM

Foreign chambers welcome hike in Philippines tourist arrivals, cite problems (http://pinoypress.net/2007/07/05/foreign-chambers-welcome-hike-in-philippines-tourist-arrivals-cite-problems/)

The Foreign Chambers of the Philippines warmly welcome the increasing tourist arrivals in the Philippines, which in 2006 grew at an annual rate of 14% (twice the regional average). If fast growth continues, we believe the government’s target of five million visitors by 2010 is achievable.

Premium hotels are crowded, and the Department of Tourism estimates 3,000 tourist-quality rooms need to be added in 2007 and larger numbers in future years. Every 1,000 tourist-quality rooms represent more than US$1 billion in new investment. Spending by an average tourist during one trip can support one job for an average Filipino worker for one year. Thus doubling foreign tourist arrivals could also double total direct and indirect jobs created by foreign tourism to nearly 7 million. The potential for tourism to create investment and jobs and add to the GDP growth rate of the country is enormous.

In addition, as the Philippine economy grows, more foreign businessmen are arriving to trade and invest and more Filipinos living and working overseas are returning on visits and many are purchasing real estate. They also stimulate the growth of sunrise industries like medical tourism and retirement that are prioritized by the government.

Since most foreign visitors arrive in the Philippines by air, their first and last impressions of the country are usually created by their experience at airports. Airline travel has become less convenient for travelers around the globe because of security threats, but in the Philippines we have particular concerns about the inefficiencies of several major airports to handle the expected growth of international and domestic air traffic.

A Turnoff for Visitors Arriving in Manila

Already, there are peak periods when the three operating terminals at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) are extremely crowded, creating negative impressions for travelers who are used to the modern, efficient facilities built in most Asian cities over the last decade. Examples include Bangkok, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Incheon, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Nagoya, Narita, Osaka, Shanghai, Singapore and Xiamen. The Philippines had aspired to be among these, but NAIA’s new international terminal remains empty and its new domestic Terminal 2 facility only benefits passengers using Philippine Airlines. Fifty-three percent of the total domestic and international passenger throughput using NAIA in 2006 passed through terminals that should have been replaced long ago.

Serious Challenges at NAIA

NAIA faces challenges similar to many old airports in Asian capitals whose populations have grown rapidly in recent decades. Runway restrictions limit its capacity to handle flights (now allowed to land 22 hours each day from 4 am to 2 am). NAIA handled nearly 10 million international passengers in 2006 and 2.8 million international passengers in the first quarter of 2007, a 12 percent increase over the same period in 2006. All three of NAIA’s operating terminals are today utilized beyond original design capacity (see charts 1 and 2). The old domestic terminal handled 3 million passengers in 2006, above its design capacity of 2.5 million passengers. Similar situations exist at NAIA Terminal 1 (the old international terminal) and NAIA Terminal 2 (the new domestic terminal).

kiretoce

July 5th, 2007, 06:24 PM

Foreign chambers welcome hike in Philippines tourist arrivals, cite problems (http://pinoypress.net/2007/07/05/foreign-chambers-welcome-hike-in-philippines-tourist-arrivals-cite-problems/2/)

NAIA suffers from two very serious constraints: (a) runway safety and capacity and (b) antiquated terminal facilities.

The Runway. While nearly all public discussion about NAIA has focused on the passenger terminals, there are serious and immediate constraints to runway capacity and safety.

* The runways’ design is now well below standards for new generation aircraft, creating serious potential safety concerns. For example, distances between the centerline of runways and centerlines of taxiways do not meet the new International Civil Aviation Organization criteria, the UN body that supervises international aviation regulation and standards

* The International Runway (called 06-24) was built in the 1940s when the biggest aircraft carried no more than 50 tons. Today an average B747 weighs 350 to 400 tons. With a single runway carrying the entire burden of all international flights, the runway requires heavy maintenance, which affects airline schedules and airport revenue.

* At the best-managed airports such as Hong Kong, Heathrow and JFK, planes can land at a rate of every 3 minutes or 20 an hour during any weather or light conditions. Based on current arrivals and departures, NAIA’s International Runway can accommodate only 15 flights per hour (taking off or landing) during bad weather or at night. With current annual growth in total passenger throughput above 10%, the runway capacity will reach its limits about the same time that all NAIA terminals including NAIA 3 reach their combined full capacity. In other words, very soon and as early as 2010 NAIA will probably not be able to take additional flights.

The Passenger Terminals. The airport master plan for three new terminals (domestic, international and cargo) drawn up in the early 1990s has yet to be fully implemented.

* The “old” domestic terminal is totally out of date, with only one passenger entrance, two security machines and no air bridges. There are often long lines of departing and arriving passengers outside the terminal exposed to the elements, while passengers bump into each other and their baggage in security, check-in and terminal fee lines inside. Most tourists traveling to the popular tourist destination of Boracay must experience the quite negative experience of going through this completely retrograde facility which should have been closed when Terminal 2 opened.

* Terminal 1, the current international terminal, is almost 30 years old and is a growing maintenance challenge. At peak hours, it experiences severe traffic and overcrowding with long delays while cars inch through departure and arrival areas.

* The “new” domestic terminal (Terminal 2), financed by Japanese Official Development Assistance, has operated for a decade as the domestic and international terminal of Philippine Airlines and since 2006 as the domestic terminal of Air Philippines, a PAL affiliate. PAL pays lease payments to the government for Terminal 2, but has not paid the government aeronautical fees amounting to billions of pesos.

* All other domestic and international carriers have continued to operate from outdated, unsafe and increasingly overcrowded facilities, while awaiting the opening of the ill-fated privately-financed Terminal 3, which the current administration expropriated in 2005 over alleged corruption in the terminal’s contracting and construction. Current estimates suggest Terminal 3 will not open until sometime in 2008, if at all. Many foreign businessmen visiting the Philippines for the first time ask why the facility remains unused.

New runways cannot be added at NAIA nor can the airport be closed to allow construction of an international runway meeting current international weight standards. When the airport’s runway capacity is met in three years (at current growth rates) it will be important that an alternative airport to NAIA is available for air travelers in Central Luzon. By that time, the maximum international and domestic passenger throughout of NAIA would ideally be met by the full operation of both Terminal 2 and 3, for domestic and international flights, respectively, in accordance with the original NAIA Master Plan.

kiretoce

July 5th, 2007, 10:15 PM

Foreign chambers welcome hike in Philippines tourist arrivals, cite problems (http://pinoypress.net/2007/07/05/foreign-chambers-welcome-hike-in-philippines-tourist-arrivals-cite-problems/3/)

Clark Should Be Developed Rapidly

The Philippine Government is fortunate to control the former US military base at Clark (renamed Diosdado Macapagal International Airport) north of Manila which has two parallel international runways (of which only 02 R/20 L accommodates flights) and vacant space for a third to be built as an option, instead of rehabilitating the old runaway 02/L20 R. This would allow simultaneous use of two runways.

However, Clark lacks adequate domestic and international terminals and its ground transportation links to Manila are subject to congestion. Clark is about the same distance from the capital as the expensive new international airports and terminals built in recent years in Korea and Malaysia at some distance from city centers, which have highly efficient ground transportation links. For example, the high-speed train connecting Kuala Lumpur to its new international airport travels 57 kilometers in 30 minutes.

Clark is already beginning to fulfill its potential as a complementary airport to NAIA. International arrivals doubled in 2006 to 471,000, and increased 35% in the first quarter of 2007. On an interim basis, Clark urgently needs an expansion of its small terminal to accommodate passenger growth. By early in the next decade, Clark will need a new large terminal which could eventually handle as much traffic as NAIA. With completion within the next 12 months of the new Subic-Clark Expressway, there should be no need to expand runway and terminal facilities at Subic.

Clark and Subic are experiencing increased investment in facilities for tourists - both domestic and international - while also attracting new investment in housing, IT-enabled services, manufacturing, shipbuilding and other business sectors.

Recommendations

Ø Central Luzon Air and Sea Logistics Master Plan – A new master plan is needed for the development of international and domestic aviation and sea transport for logistics in Central Luzon. The government should request support from the ADB or other international development technical assistance providers.

Ø NAIA Terminal 3 – It is extremely important that the terminal be opened at the earliest date and be available to all international carriers on a “level playing” field basis. The building’s former owners should be compensated immediately after the ongoing international cases in Singapore and Washington are resolved or in accordance with a negotiated settlement between the contending parties. The operation of the terminal should be bid out to the private sector, including international firms, to ensure professional management comparable to other international airports in Southeast Asia.

Ø NAIA Terminal 2 – The terminal should operate as originally intended as the new domestic terminal. An expansion should be started as soon as possible, following a design similar to the design of the current building. The Manila International Airport Authority could issue a bond to fund the expansion and should move all domestic operations to Terminal 2. If any Philippine domestic carrier wants a dedicated domestic terminal, it should build at its own expense. Terminal 3 should remain as intended a purely international terminal, so that the maximum capacity for international passenger operations of Terminal 3 can be realized.

Ø DMIA Terminal (Interim) – The current terminal at Clark is approaching capacity and needs to be expanded as soon as possible and completed by the end of 2008.

Ø DMIA Terminal (Future) – Clark will need a large modern terminal for international and domestic traffic in around five years and the current master plan for Clark should be revised as part of the new Central Luzon Air and Sea Logistics Hub Master Plan. Then a design-build contract should be prepared for international bidding. Funding for the terminal might come from a bond issued by the Clark International Airport Corporation.

Ø DMIA Runway – Runway 02 R/20 L needs an additional parallel runway as an alternative runway as well as to allow eventual dual simultaneous operations. Runway 02 L/20 R can not be used by any aircraft because of the “crocodile cracks” which appeared on it after the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. The construction of a runway takes 2-3 years, after a planning and bidding period of 2-3 years.

Ø Manila-Clark Rail – A high-speed rail connection between Metro Manila and Clark will be essential. There will be many challenges, such as design, routing, terminal locations, technology, funding and construction, but such a multi-billion project is essential for future development and needs to be a core element in the Central Luzon Air and Sea Logistics Hub Master Plan. Extending the MRT-3 and LRT-1 up to NLEX must also be considered in order to allow efficient access to the NCR light rail system.

A Footnote on Four Other Airports Needing Upgrading to Accommodate Foreign and Domestic Tourists

Ø The Cebu International Airport Terminal is also reaching its maximum capacity. Cebu, as a premier tourist destination, needs to have more terminal capacity through an expansion to accommodate an additional 3 million passengers per year. Furthermore, the runway in Cebu has to be strengthened and lengthened to accommodate new generation aircrafts (A380, B 747-800).

Ø The Kalibo Airport needs to be upgraded in terms of runway length, width and capacity. Kalibo is now accommodating the first direct flights from Korea. The terminal in Kalibo is not designed to accommodate international flights and the passengers are experiencing inconvenience after their international arrival.

Ø The long delayed Puerto Princesa Airport expansion, upgrading and modernization project, which was aborted in the past due to disagreements on project execution, should be implemented to give tourists an alternative entry and exit point in the Philippines.

Ø Finally, the long delayed Laoag International Airport project, which will increase safety and security as well as passenger capacity, should also be carried out.

ROGER J. DALLAS
President
American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc.

RICHARD BARCLAY
President
Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc.

STEWART HALL
President
Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc.

HUBERT D’ABOVILLE
President
European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. 　　　　　　

TOSHIFUMI INAMI
President
Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of the Philippines, Inc.

JAE J. JANG
President
Korean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc.

SHAMEEM QURASHI
President
Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters, Inc.

kiretoce

July 6th, 2007, 08:26 AM

Silliman University notes growing foreign student population as CHED pushes for "Educational Tourism" (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p070705.htm&no=81&r=&y=&mo=)

The country’s potential as a premier alternative educational destination for students from foreign countries is already felt in the small yet vibrant academic environment in Dumaguete City.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has recently announced its initiative to position the Philippines as a premier alternative educational destination where neighboring countries could send their overflow student populations.

CHED Chair Lito Puno has come up with what is termed as “education tourism” strategy, a program that will position the country as an alternative educational destination to China or Russia.

Dumaguete City is a prime example of how Philippine education is a promising factor in drawing in international students.

Touted as a university town, Dumaguete’s bustling academic environment has attracted several foreign students to pursue their education in the city, especially at Silliman University, the oldest American university in the country, which has lured a growing number of foreign students to study here.

SU currently has 251 foreign students from 19 countries enrolled in various courses for school year 2007 to 2008.

Of the total, 199 are enrolled in the college level and 52 in the School of Basic Education comprised of early childhood, elementary and high school levels.

Koreans top the number of foreign students on campus with 105, followed by Iranians, 49 and Americans, 44.

Other nationalities on campus include Indonesians, Germans, Tanzanians, Canadians, Japanese, and British, to name a few.

According to Mark Raygan E. Garcia, director of the SU Office of Information and Publication, majority of the Korean students are enrolled in business and language courses while Iranians are mostly taking up engineering and information technology studies.

Most of the American students are studying in the Nursing and Allied Health Sciences department.

The university’s Masters in Business Administration course have likewise attracted foreign graduate students.

Data from SU shows a steady rise in the university’s enrollment of international students. “The trend has been increasing. For example, at the college level, there were 123 foreign students enrolled in the 2002 to 2003 school year. And five years after, we now have 199 foreign students,” said Garcia.

Garcia attributes the trend to the university’s affordable yet high quality education. “The cost of education here is lower compared to the countries where our international students come from. Plus, with the university’s quality education, it is an investment for these students who after four years, get to earn a degree that make them competitive enough to land lucrative jobs abroad,” he explained.

The university likewise offers Filipino classes for foreign students in an effort to offer a holistic development for them, and help them break through the barriers of language and culture differences. “These classes are specially designed to cater to the needs of our international students, so they can learn the local language and culture as well,” added Garcia.

Garcia said the presence of foreign students in the university have benefited the city’s tourism industry. “It is benefiting not only the academic institution but the city as well as these foreign students have also other needs that only the larger community of Dumaguete can provide,” he said.

He added that for now, SU relies on tie-ups with foreign universities such as those under the student exchange programs, its consortia with universities in Asia and the United States, and by “word of mouth” in pulling in foreign students.

CHED’s ‘education tourism’ strategy has already earned the support of Malacañang after Puno discussed the program’s blueprint during a weekly program aired over government channel NBN-4.

Puno said the strategy complements the government’s tourist promotion program.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye explained that the country is an attractive alternative destination for Korean students because of three main factors: the short distance between Manila and Seoul, the affordability of Philippine education, and the Filipinos’ fluency in English.

The Philippine government and China’s Ministry of Education have signed recently a memorandum of agreement “allowing Chinese students who could not be accommodated in China’s universities to study in the Philippines.”

crappypants

July 6th, 2007, 08:57 AM

good news education is a big money making business now.

smokingunmanila

July 6th, 2007, 09:02 AM

amigo32

July 6th, 2007, 09:24 AM

The new ones are coming out..we are just waiting for the go signal sa DOT

may kopya ka?

ikalat mo na! hehehehe:lol:

Animo

July 7th, 2007, 07:58 PM

THE Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) is eyeing Davao Region as its potential tourism market in Southern Philippines.

In an interview during his visit here last week, Herbert Arabelo, president of the Guam Visitors Bureau Phils., cited Davao City and nearby provinces as a good market for tourists given the increasing number of Filipino tourists going to Guam.

Guam as a tourist destination, he said, "is one place Dabawenyos must see these days."

"Now is the time to go out and see the beautiful places in Guam, when the dollar rate is low and the weather is good," Arabelo said.

Guam has two seasons -- the dry season from January to May and the rainy season from June to December.

"With the current exchange rate between P45 to 46 a dollar, Pinoys can get their money's worth as compared to last year's foreign exchange," he said.

Guam, which is an island territory of the United States is a safe place to visit and only three hours away by plane," Arabelo said.

Its attractions include tropical beaches and waterfalls to historic monuments and museums, not to mention shopping malls, such as the Guam Premier Outlets, Micronesia Mall, owned by Filipino-Chinese tycoon Lucio Tan, Agana Shopping Center, Tumon Sands Plaza, Duty-Free Shop (DFS) Galleria and K-Marts 24-hours shopping and also outlets of high-end retail outlets like Gucci, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Cartier Boutique, Just International and, Macy's.

Arabelo said Guam is one of the least expensive dive training places in the world, where the tallest ocean mountain is located and the world's deepest point, the Marianas Trench. It has one of the most diverse coral reef areas.

Because of its tropical weather, Guam offers a multitude of activities. Luxurious international-standard hotels are set in landscaped gardens on the beaches of Tumon Bay while a few hotels are located in the southern and central parts of the island. Business hotels abound in Guam, too.

It is also a perfect place for sports enthusiasts particularly scuba-diving, wind-surfing, snorkeling and, of course, golf, he said.

Guam, like the Philippines, has village-wide fiesta celebrations, its cuisine, a mixture of Spanish-Filipino and Pacific dishes which will surely make the Pinoys’ trip more enjoyable.

Arabelo added Guam is a place for the romantics because of its beautiful and pristine wedding chapels with weddings in Guam becoming more popular with young couples.

There is also its baywalk and night life which includes night market shopping and its many bars, lounges and clubs.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2007/07/04/bus/guam.eyes.davao.as.tourism.market.html

Animo

July 18th, 2007, 01:01 AM

By Rose Palacio

Davao City (12 July) -- Although a young market for tourist destinations compared to Cebu and Manila, Davao City has the potentials that keep people from coming.

Tourism XI Director Sonia Garcia said the other two destinations (Manila and Cebu) had been there long before compared to Davao City.

"We do not intend to compete with Manila and Cebu but make Davao as an alternative destination," he said.

Director Garcia said there’s no problem with domestic air linkages, although there's still a need to develop access to the sub regions.

Air routes to Hongkong, Singapore, Korea and Thailand are still connected to Manila, however the Davao International Airport is sending positive signal and giving emphasis that Davao City and other places in the region are destinations worthy of travel.

"It is good that Davao had been considered as convention market," she said.

He said holding of conventions here could bring market to almost everybody from taxi drivers, restaurant, hotels, and even souvenir shops and other tourism service entities.

Director Garcia said that the hotel's market which is 80 percent corporate can easily shift from business activities to visiting the islands and highlands because of the proximity of the area.

This makes Davao a unique destination because it could offer both business and pleasure even within a five-day visit, she said.

The other market being eyed by the tourism sector is the overseas Filipino workers and other foreigner that has distinct ties with Filipinos like the Japanese and the Chinese and also those within the BIMP EAGA.

"We have to establish Davao as a trade center and when this is in place we can work on the rest that would bring in economic and tourism activities, she added.

The tourism sector, she said is looking at Fil-Americans as a market for real state wherein we are beaming the highland areas as their vacation homes. (PIA)

Sinjin P.

July 18th, 2007, 10:26 AM

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia of Cebu can do as a model in promoting Phil. Tourism to the world :D

http://www.cebu.gov.ph/press/07022007govvisitlarsian/images/IMG_4037.JPG

http://www.cebu.gov.ph/press/07022007Fuenteosmanavisit/images/IMG_7714.JPG

http://www.cebu.gov.ph/press/07022007Fuenteosmanavisit/images/IMG_7713.JPG

http://www.cebu.gov.ph/press/07022007Fuenteosmanavisit/images/IMG_7711.JPG

http://www.cebu.gov.ph/press/07022007Fuenteosmanavisit/images/IMG_4057.JPG

http://www.cebu.gov.ph/press/07022007Capitoltour/images/IMG_4029.JPG

http://www.cebu.gov.ph/press/07022007Capitoltour/images/IMG_4018.JPG

http://www.cebu.gov.ph/press/07022007Capitoltour/images/IMG_4017.JPG

http://www.cebu.gov.ph/press/DubaiTrip/images/101_3383.JPG

Sinjin P.

July 18th, 2007, 10:37 AM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/120/316946947_bf2a2b1c1b_o.jpg

dancethingy

July 18th, 2007, 11:43 AM

She is quite a woman isn't she. A governor most likely to leave a man smitten.

Lili

July 18th, 2007, 12:14 PM

Bakit panay violation si governor? Di ba keep off the grass? At saka hinahakbangan niya yung divider. ;)

TheAvenger

July 18th, 2007, 12:18 PM

^^ ^^

siguro nag pra practice ng " Tinikling "

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z82/jewel_087/russians.jpg

Sinjin P.

July 18th, 2007, 12:28 PM

Bakit panay violation si governor? Di ba keep off the grass? At saka hinahakbangan niya yung divider. ;)

She just wanted to show off the beauty of the landscaping at the Provincial Capitol :lol: Eh kasi, the province wants to recover their lot na kinauupuan ng Fuente Rotunda kaya nagpapicture din siya du'n. Currently, ang Cebu City ang nagmamanage sa rotunda at sinaway nya ito na poorly maintained kaya ayun, pinagmalaki ang landscaping kung saan siya ang model :D

-----
Anyway, I sooo love Gwendolyn Garcia

http://www.cebu.gov.ph/press/CarmenBenedictineMonastery/images/IMG_3938.JPG

http://www.cebu.gov.ph/press/march17mtmanunggal/images/IMG_0334.JPG

Kahit saan, kahit kailan, fresh na fresh ang dating

OtAkAw

July 18th, 2007, 04:53 PM

^^I could only imagine AMong Ed doing that in Pampanga...

metrosuburban

July 26th, 2007, 02:40 AM

Rolls-Royce

July 26th, 2007, 03:31 AM

Who speaks French here? Animo posted this on the Geography section:

"The French version of the American Survivor filmed in Palawan, Philippines.

Website: http://www.tf1.fr/kohlanta/
__________________ "

-- So what did they say about Palawan??

They haven't said anything about Palawan, not that I've heard anyway. All they talk about was their tasks, and I've only seen two episodes, so it's hard. They were divided into 'jaune' and 'rouge' (yellow and red) team. They were flogging the next weeks episode (La Semaine Prochaine).

metrosuburban

July 26th, 2007, 09:10 PM

^^ oh ok thanks so much!!

kiretoce

July 27th, 2007, 06:22 AM

siguro nag pra practice ng "Tinikling"
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z82/jewel_087/russians.jpg

I was watching those old Lawrence Welk Shows on PBS one weekend and I saw these dancers on the show danced the Tinikling, I was amazed and yet found it strangely odd seeing all these white people dancing it. Equally weird was seeing/hearing the band (think big band sound) playing the tinikling song to accompany the dancers. :lol:

Alo

July 27th, 2007, 06:37 AM

@metrosuburban

i do speak a bit french, i checked the site out, do you know when they air it on tf1...friday night? 8.50 pm is that still the time? ...wow, marie laure, one of the candidate-girls looks like a pinay mestiza, she is hot, i want to make love with her on the beach there.

hiiiiiiiiiiijaaaaaaaaaaaaa....watch her introduction video? while doing the gymnastics, look at her legs, and her body...hiiiiiaaaaaaa...:nuts: :nuts: in the bikini...her butt is wonderfull....

Sinjin P.

July 30th, 2007, 05:56 AM

Int’l fair to sell RP’s tourist destinations (http://www.mb.com.ph/PROV2007073098973.html)

CEBU CITY – The government and the tourism industry will attempt to sell the country’s tourist destinations to foreign travel executives who will attend the 3-day 1st Philippine International Tourism Fair 2007 (PITF 2007) in Mandaue City.

The fair, industry leaders hope, will help catapult Philippine travel to a level and make the country an international destination at par with top tourist spots in the world, said Angel Ramos Bognot, president of National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (Naitas), a major organizer of the event along with the Philippine Travel Mart Foundation.

Tourism, the world’s largest industry, registers an annual revenue of 0 billion and accounts for roughly 35 percent of exports of services and over 8 percent of exports of goods, according to the World Tourism Organization.

Set from Sept. 5 to 7 at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City, the fair, which has been endorsed by the Department of Tourism (DoT), Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), the provincial government of Cebu and the city of Mandaue, carries the theme "At the Doorstep of a Vibrant and Robust Global Tourism."

Travel operators from Asia, Europe and US will get a chance to tour the country’s premier destinations and forge business deals with their local counterparts.

The event will greatly redound to tourism and help the government achieve its tourist target in the years to come, said Ed Nuque, co-chairman of PITF 2007.

A critic of the alleged questionable granting of traffic rights to foreign airlines said the event will also complement DoT’s program to focus on select or niche markets and help attain the sector’s projected growth to 5 million arrivals by 2010 and boost regular charter flights to Cebu.

"Let’s channel our resources into foreign markets which will generate the highest yield. We must be more disciplined, systematic and cost-effective," he said.

This (tourism fair) would disprove notions that local stakeholders resent growth and competition, especially from foreigners. Tourism has no borders and promotes equality and reciprocity among competitors, he added.

The fair, which will be held in conjunction with DoT’s Philippine Travel Exchange, will cover marketing presentations, and product knowledge training and workshops for tour operators.

Espma

July 31st, 2007, 04:15 AM

..I've never heard of that beach..anyone been there?!! is it really that beautiful??

I assume these beaches are mostly undiscovered...

Top Asian Beaches
By John Borthwick

AUSTRALIANS are royally spoiled when it comes to world-class coastlines. Yet still we travel, chasing sandier or sunnier shores. Here are 10 of the best beaches in Asia.

1. SAUD BEACH, PHILIPPINES

On the northwest coast of Luzon, little-known Saud Beach at Pagudpud is a 2km arc of blindingly pure sand bordered by the blue of the South China Sea. It's like an uncluttered version of that famous Philippines shore, White Beach, on Boracay Island. Beat the developers, the hair-braiders and sarong-floggers - head to Pagudpud now.

2. KO ADANG, THAILAND

Thailand's far south Andaman Sea coast has clusters of islands that are still off the radar for tour group invaders and full-moon ravers. The towering rock formations and crystal waters of Ko Tarutao National Marine Park, a 51-island group about 30km off the mainland, are a reminder of how islands such as Phuket, Samui and Phi Phi once were. Here you'll find Ko Adang, a jungle island with pristine shores, empty beaches and not a beer bar in sight.

3. BENTOTA, SRI LANKA

At Bentota Beach, 60km south of Colombo, grand arcs of beach sweep north and south from a rocky promontory. The Indian Ocean massages this coast of granite headlands and uncrowded beaches that surfers and European sun-seekers discovered long ago. There is a choice of three, four and five-star resorts from which you can simultaneously contemplate Bentota's fiery sunset and your of sundowner.

4. YALONG BAY, CHINA

At the same latitude as Hawaii, Hainan is where mainland Chinese come to get that Waikiki feeling without leaving home. While Yalong Bay, near Sanya on Hainan's southern tip, may lack Polynesia's heaving surf and swaying skirts, its broad white beaches are better than many in Hawaii. Fishing villages and rice farms once rimmed Yalong Bay's 7km strand. In their place, quality resorts harvest the disposable incomes of China's leisure class.

5. CHINA BEACH, VIETNAM

China Beach, on Vietnam's central coast near Da Nang, is 30km long and has numerous resorts and restaurants, especially around Bai Non Nuoc. The specific section of the China Beach of Vietnam War and television series fame is known locally as Bai Tam My Khe. Here, you can see fishermen paddle out through its breaking waves in flimsy wicker coracles and then, after fishing, surf right back in again.

6. CALANGUTE, INDIA

"Christmas in Goa" was the mantra for heliotropic (and psychotropic) hippies on the 1970s "Overland Trail". Calangute's palm-fringed shoreline was annually invaded by some of the most upbeat and beat-up minds of their generation; today it is simply built-up. Over-development hasn't been kind to Calangute's little fishing hamlets, but its Arabian Sea full moons are as spellbinding as ever.

7. DUNGUN, MALAYSIA

The east coast of Malaysia is a sleeping secret. Macaque monkeys swing like tiny Tarzans through a tree canopy that borders the South China Sea. Beyond the trees, Dungun, an empty swoop of beach, is one of Malaysia's least-exploited shores. Offshore is Tenggol Island, part of Terengganu Marine Park, where you can snorkel and scuba dive amid gin-and-tonic clear waters alive with turtles, grouper, wrasse and jacks.

8. OCCHEUTEAL, CAMBODIA

Sihanoukville (aka Kompong Som) on Cambodia's pretty south coast is home to five fine beaches, even though the best one, Sokha, is reserved for a private hotel's guests. Sokha's neighbour, Occheuteal Beach, comes a close second with its long stretch of white sand lined with pine trees. Popular with Cambodians and travellers alike, Occheuteal's far northern end has become a backpacker hangout.

9. MAE NAM, THAILAND

Ko Samui's east coast strands are almost too well known. Head up to the north coast to snoozy Mae Nam, where the sands may be narrower, but you're not sharing them with the crowds. The water is clear and calm, the palm trees shady. In the distance you can see a flotilla of blue-grey islands that drifts just north of Samui, including Ko Phangan and Ang Thong Marine Park, where the beaches are truly empty.

10. KENTING, TAIWAN

The semi-tropical landscape of southern Taiwan is a surprise until you remember that the island's earlier Portuguese name, Formosa, means "beautiful". The name still fits. Unhurried and warm, Kenting, at the rugged southernmost tip of the island, has reasonable beaches for swimming, diving and surfing, plus an 18,000-ha national park. There is ample accommodation here, the seafood is excellent and, surprisingly, you're well inside the Tropic of Cancer.

Alo

July 31st, 2007, 01:26 PM

Major hotels, resorts confirm RP investments

By IVY LISA F. MENDOZA

Major hotels and resorts are rising across the Philippines, as the Department of Tourism (DoT) recently approved another $ 200 million worth of investments for the first quarter of 2007, in addition to the $ 2 billion already approved last year.

In his address during the Philippine Tourism Awards held early this month in Beijing, China, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano proudly announced that more foreign corporations have responded to the call of DoT to invest in hotel and resort facilities in the Philippines, specifically those that would cater to the Chinese market.

‘’There will be 3,000 additional hotel rooms available this year in Cebu, Bohol, Boracay and Palawan, of which 1,000 will be in Cebu while the rest will be spread over the three other areas. In Metro Manila, more than 1,200 rooms will be available in the next few years,’’ Durano revealed.

The tourism chief enumerated at least seven major tourism investments that will be seen happening in the country in the next few months. Among them:

 The Boracay Shangri-La Hotel and Resort, which will open in 2008;

 The Imperial Waterpark Resort and Spa in Mactan, Cebu, a 616-room triple A class resort, which promises to bring state–of–the–art water park technology;

 An eco-tourism real estate to be developed by SM Investments Corp., which kicked-off with the launch of the master plan for the Hamilo Coast in Batangas as a premier coastal residential and resort town;

 The SMX, a new convention center at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City, which is set to open in October this year. Durano said SMX will be equally accessible to hotels that will rise at the SM Bay City, namely Carlson Hotels, Asia Pacific, and Accor;

 The Manila Marriot Hotel which will see completion in 2009;

 The Fairmont and Raffles which will construct a new hotel and condotel in Makati; and

 The Metrobank Group which announced its plan to construct the country’s tallest building which will house a five–star hotel in Fort Bonifacio Global City.

Durano assured that all these will be accessible through the access infrastructure being developed.

‘’This will ensure seamless travel within the archipelago. Most of these infrastructure projects will be developed in an area called the Central Philippine Super Region,’’ Durano said.

Animo

July 31st, 2007, 09:00 PM

TAN BEE HONG

http://www.nst.com.my/Weekly/Travel/article/FeatureStory/20070730111247/insidepix.jpg

It’s a tropical paradise where both sun and sea worshippers as well as nature lovers and heritage trail seekers would be right at home, writes.

AS your plane noses in for the landing, the first thing you see through the porthole is the stunningly azure sea and then, it strikes you just how narrow the island of Cebu is.

Actually, that’s just the main island. It comprises a group of islands that form the Visayas, central of the three main Philippine island groups.
The airport itself is on Mactan, where a string of luxurious resorts hug the almost-manicured beach front on the southern side, led by the Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort & Spa.

The road to your hotel will pass through some of the poorer parts of town and you’d wonder if the islands are all made of shanty buildings.
It used to be part of the Malay empire around 500 AD and early inhabitants refer to this island as Zebu. The Spanish, led by Ferdinand Magellan, landed here in 1521.

The Province of Cebu actually comprises the long, narrow main island and many smaller islands like Mactan, Bantayan, Camotes and Olango.
Mactan is connected to the main island via two bridges — the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge and the Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge – so there is no fear of being isolated though there is plenty to do on Mactan itself.

Lapu-Lapu City, just five km from the harbour, is named after a chieftain of the island. Datu Lapulapu killed Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan in 1512 and on the island, you can see a huge statue of him (Lapulapu) at the Mactan Shrine.

Cebu, Naturally

From the central mountains to the coral sands, Cebu is a natural wonder. Tourists can go on cruises, dive and simply lie back to enjoy the white sandy beaches and turquoise blue seas.

Mountains streams cascade from misty heights to the sea. Colourful butterflies contrast with flocks of noisy birds. Top scuba diving spots are located off the shore and there are regular sightings of dolphins and whales in the surrounding seas. Popular sites are in Mactan Island and at Malapascua Island where divers check out the Tapilon Japanese Wreck and the Dona Marilyn Wreck.

Don’t worry if you haven’t brought your diving gear; most hotels and resorts along the coast have complete diving facilities and dive instructors.
There are also dive safaris that are inclusive of accommodation, round-trip transfers, meals, boats, guides, etc.

Those who prefer something on land can visit the Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary, run by artist-lepidopterist J.N. Jumalon.

Located in Cebu City, this sanctuary provides a natural habitat for over 50 species of butterflies and many more kinds of moths. Also, visitors can admire the 100 types of flowering plants that are grown to provide sustenance for the butterflies.

Don’t miss Jumalon’s lepido-mosiac “paintings” which are stunning artworks made by recycling discarded butterfly wings. There is also his butterfly collection which includes butterflies from other countries.

Orchid lovers flock to the Orchid Gallery in Maolboal, which has one of the biggest, most impressive orchid displays in South-East Asia, with over 200,000 kinds of orchids. Feast your eyes on vandas, cattleyas and tropical varieties from Asia, South America and Hawaii.

Or head for the Olango Wildlife Sanctuary that covers a total of 920 hectares of sand flats, mudflats, mangroves, sea grass beds, sandy ridges and coconut groves. Olango grew popular after the Philippine Wetland and Wildlife Conservation Foundation discovered the presence of over 50,000 migratory birds in the area, The best time to visit is during the peak of the migration months from September to November (when birds fly south) and from February to April (northward migration).

Culture & Heritage

Check with the concierge for local tours to historic spots like the Mactan Shrine where the statue of Datu Lapulapu stands and the many churches. Some of these places include:

Magellan’s Cross: Planted in April 21, 1521 by Ferdinand Magellan, it marks the spot where the first Christian Filipinos, Rajah Humabon, Queen Juana and about 400 of their followers, were baptised by Pedro Valderema.

Image of Santo Niño: Considered as the oldest religious relic in the Philippines, the image of the Santo Niño, or Holy Child, was given by Ferdinand Magellan to Queen Juana, among the first Filipinos to be Christianised, as a baptismal gift in 1521. The image survived a great fire in 1565 unscratched. It has since been deemed miraculous and venerated by the Cebuanos as their patron saint.

Basilica Minor del Santo Niño: Built in 1565 by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Father Andres Urdaneta, this church is on the site where the image of Santo Niño was found. It was destroyed by fire three years later and rebuilt in 1602.

Fort San Pedro: Work on this, the smallest, oldest tri-bastion fort in the country, began in 1565 and was completed only 1½ centuries later. It’s purpose was to protect the Spanish settlers from pirates. During World War II, from 1941 to 1945, it served as fortification for Japanese soldiers. It now houses the National Museum that showcases the San Diego shipwreck and Fort San Pedro diggings.

Colon Street: The oldest street in the Philippines was built by the Spaniards in the time of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. Named after Christopher Columbus, it is the heart of downtown Cebu, a glittering area by night lined with cinemas, restaurants, department stores, and other business establishments. An obelisk detailing its historical significance was constructed on its northern end.

Sinulog Festival: Cebu’s biggest and grandest festival, the Sinulog Festival is celebrated on the third Sunday in January every year in honour of the Holy Image of Senyor Santo Niño de Cebu. Join the gaiety of mardi gras style procession.

People converge along the routes of a grand solemn procession and partake in the gaiety amidst a mardi gras parade immersed in wild colours and the constant beating of drums. Fiesta Senyor, as it is widely known, is celebrated every third Sunday of January.

Shopping Paradise

Cebu is famous for the fine work that its local craftsmen produce — from guitars to shellwork and woodcarvings.

Home decorations, coral jewellery boxes, jewellery made of shells and pearls, beadwork and woodcarvings go at bargain prices. Go to Carbon Market, Cebu’s biggest public market, for great bargains or stroll through Colon Street’s many stores and giant malls like Ayala Center and SM City.
The Barangay Maribago district in Mactan is the centre of the guitar industry and produces world-class guitars, bandurrias (Filipino mandolins), banjos and ukeleles. Each craftsman is responsible for the entire production of a single guitar, thus guaranteeing that quality is maintained.

If guitars are not your thing, then go for mangoes. A major agricultural produce of Cebu, mangoes are available in every form, all year round. There’s the fresh fruit, sweet and juicy, mango puree, mango candy and more. Dried mango, in particular, makes good souvenirs to bring home.

Other gastronomic delights to buy are otap (crispy sugar-coated biscuits), turrons (rolled wafers with peanut or cashewnut filling) and danggit (dried fish).

When To Go

Unless you prefer a vacation spent singing in the rain, you’d want to plan your trip for the dry season from December to May to avoid the rains and typhoons.

Malaysia Airlines flies four times a week to and from Cebu on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. To book your flight, call Malaysia Airlines Call Centre.

Tel: 1 300 88 3000 (24 hours).

http://www.nst.com.my/Weekly/Travel/article/FeatureStory/20070730111247/Article/

TheAvenger

August 5th, 2007, 10:29 AM

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/taal.jpg

View of Taal Volcano and the Lake.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/mtpinatubo.jpg

BEAUTY AFTER RUIN. More than 16 years after its destructive eruption in 1991, Mount Pinatubo now offers this breathtaking crater-lake at its summit.

Solon seeks declaration of Pinatubo as tourist spot
Inquirer
Last updated 04:04am (Mla time) 08/05/2007

ANGELES CITY, Pampanga—Pampanga Rep. Carmelo Lazatin has filed a bill seeking to declare Mt. Pinatubo as an official tourist destination in the Philippines.

Lazatin, through House Bill No. 1613, sought the formal designation 16 years after the volcano recorded its strongest eruption on June 15, 1991. Volcanologists had considered that eruption the second worst in the world in the 20th century.

The disaster destroyed 364 villages in Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales, killed more than 1,000 people and displaced 1.5 million residents, reports from the National Economic and Development Authority showed.

It damaged P3.8 billion worth of public infrastructures, especially irrigation and flood control system, roads and bridges. Lahar, or mudflows, in 1992 damaged more roads and bridges worth P1 billion.

Relief operations, including the construction of evacuation and relocation centers, cost the government P2.5 billion in 1991-1992, Neda said.

By 1998, the government spent P31.8 billion on Mt. Pinatubo-related programs, records from the defunct Mt. Pinatubo Commission showed.

“Once feared, Mt. Pinatubo is now regarded for its beauty, enticing every adventurous tourist,” Lazatin said in his explanatory note to HB 1613, referring to the lahar canyons and crater lake accessible via mountain trails in Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales.

The volcano is surrounded by the mountains of Quadrado, Malasimbo, Balakibok and Negron. The bean-shaped lake at the crater is 2-km wide and 600- to 800-meter deep.

HB 1613 asks the Department of Tourism to enact the declaration and endorsement of Mt. Pinatubo as one of the major tourism spots in the country.

The DOT is also tasked with setting aside a budget for the establishment and maintenance of tourism areas around the volcano.

The proposed law seeks to give local governments the mandate to create tourist points.

The bill sought to “boost tourism in all adjacent communities of Mt. Pinatubo and create livelihood means for residents,” Lazatin said.

Ronaldo Tiotuico, DOT Central Luzon director, welcomed Lazatin’s move. “It’s high time to earn that title (as tourist spot).” Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view_article.php?article_id=80630
.

dinabaw

August 9th, 2007, 01:16 PM

more on Harnett mania....

Hartnett wowed by Diwalwal

By Janice on Aug 9, 2007 in News

by RG Alama

Davao City — Hollywood actor Josh Hartnett had nothing but nice words for Diwalwal during his six-day stay here in the mining community located in the hinterlands of Compostela Valley Province.

“This is a gorgeous part of the world,” said Hartnett, an A-list American actor known for his roles in the films Black Hawk Down and Pearl Harbor. The actor said that he was wowed by the natural beauty of Diwalwal during their filming here.

“We shot in these waterfalls, the view was very spectacular, Diwalwal is a very beautiful location. Hartnett said. The 29-year old actor essays the lead role in the movie “I come with the Rain” playing an American detective who came to Mindanao in search for a missing billionaire’s heir.

Hartnett, who spends a great deal of time traveling around the world, said that he wants to return someday to Diwalwal if he has the time. He also says the community are one terrific people.

“I feel right at home. The kids are always smiling,” he said. Hartnett also was not bothered being in a place branded as a sort of “wild, wild west.”

“I did not feel fear, the only fear I have is the thought of being surrounded by armed security and not the fear about going to this place,” Hartnett said. Hopefully I could spend some time and explore some places here, he added.

Soldiers of the Philippine Army’s 28th Infantry Battalion provided tight security to the six-day shoot which was filmed in various locations around Diwalwal. The Barangay of Mt. Diwata under barangay Captain Franco Tito also provided support to the filming.

Hartnett also voiced apprehensions about the future of the locale. “Diwalwal is changing; I hope the many spectacular things I’ve seen here, would still remain.” The actor also said the visit changed him in a way. “I only spent a week here and what I’ve seen here in Diwalwal is more than what I would usually see in one week.”

Film director Tran Anh Hung, chose to film in this part of Compostela Valley Province after watching a television documentary about Diwalwal 15 years ago. It was reported that before filming, the U.S-based film crew received a letter from their union urging them not to come to Diwalwal due to security concerns.

However Director Hung’s persistence eventually led to the realization of the first Hollywood movie to be filmed in Diwalwal. “I cannot imagine building a film set in any place, other than Diwalwal,” Hung said. (PIA XI)

http://wowdavao.com/blog/?p=3692

Espma

August 9th, 2007, 06:05 PM

^^Hartnett...A-List....hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Animo

August 9th, 2007, 07:56 PM

^^ His acting skills ang movies are not that great either.

kiretoce

August 11th, 2007, 05:07 AM

Tourist arrivals grow by 7%; Americans top list (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=81801)

MANILA, Philippines -- A total of 1.53 million foreign visitors arrived in the Philippines in the first six months of this year, 7.6 percent more than arrivals during the same period last year, the Department of Tourism said Friday.

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said first semester statistics showed 1,528,507 tourists, with each month posting more than 240,000 visitors. Last year's first semester saw only 1,420,040 arrivals.

The first semester figure, however, was less than half of DoT's 3.1 million to 3.2 million target for 2007 as spelled out in its medium-term target of five million visitors by 2010.

"The intensive marketing campaign, invitational programs and participation of the country in the various travel fairs contributed to the increase in arrivals," Durano said.

As in last year, visitors from the United States were the biggest group on DoT's list of top arrivals by nationality with 314,336 arrivals. South Korea followed with 312,318, and Japan was in third place, with 197,095.

Arrivals from the US grew by only 1.8 percent, those from South Korea grew by 16.8 percent. Singaporeans, who placed eighth, posted the highest growth rate, 20.1 percent, with 45,894.

Other tourists on the DOT's list came from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with arrivals ranging from 39,000 to 64,000.

By region, visitors from East Asia accounted for more than 45 percent of all total arrivals.

There were less visitors from Israel, Russia and other countries belonging to the Commonwealth of Independent States, and Nauru this year, but there were more from Laos, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Greece, Denmark, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Nigeria.

Vacationing overseas Filipino who are permanent residents abroad numbered 89,382, growing by 15.5 percent.

The arrival figures were culled by DoT's Tourism Research and Statistics Division from arrival and departure cards at the airport and shipping manifests.

According to the Philippine Travel Agencies Association, an umbrella group of travel agencies and tour operators, the tourism industry in the country continued to expand and that foreign arrivals would top 2.84 million posted in 2006, which itself was a record high.

Major real estate companies have been constructing new hotels in Metro Manila, Cebu and Boracay in anticipation of the influx of foreign guests in the coming months, while major domestic airlines have launched re-fleeting programs to take advantage of rising tourist movement, according to the association.

DoT is hosting in Cebu City next month the Philippine Travel Exchange, where 120 of the world’s biggest foreign buyers of travel packages will be converging to do business directly with Philippine sellers.

Tourism industry players earlier expressed concern that the confrontation between government troops and Moro rebels in Mindanao may gain international media attention and affect the tourist perception of the Philippines.

TheAvenger

August 12th, 2007, 07:53 PM

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/StaCruzisland.jpg

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Sta. Cruz island off this southern Philippine city is a non-commercialized diving spot. INQUIRER.NET/JOEL GUINTO

TheAvenger

August 12th, 2007, 07:56 PM

By Jerome Aning
Inquirer
Last updated 09:35pm (Mla time) 08/12/2007

MANILA, Philippines--Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Sunday to help Boracay island regain its lost "Garden of Eden" state, aside from suspending new construction on the island.

"I welcome the concern Environment Secretary Lito Atienza has shown for the environmental welfare of Boracay. Since Boracay urgently needs restorative interventions, I urge him to also invest the resources of DENR in restorative programs and technologies aside from exercising its regulatory powers on the island," said Durano in a text message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of INQUIRER.net.

Pls read further on below link:

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=82111

TheAvenger

August 12th, 2007, 08:26 PM

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/Benguet.jpg

ROWS of fresh strawberries in La Trinidad, Benguet. "NANZIE"

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/strawberies.jpg

IT'S picking time of fresh strawberries in La Trinidad. "NANZIE"

IsaRic

August 13th, 2007, 12:17 AM

Sinjin P.

August 13th, 2007, 10:57 PM

Investors eye island town of Romblon as another Boracay (http://www.mb.com.ph/PROV20070814100299.html)

SAN JOSE, Romblon — Foreign and local investors yearning for a share in the tourism boom in Boracay but were turned away from the famous island have started flocking in this island town which is now being developed into an alternative tourism paradise.

Only a 15-minute boat ride from world-famous Boracay, San Jose has taken advantage of the construction moratorium on its neighboring island by welcoming foreign and local investors willing to develop this carabao-shaped island into the next tourism haven in the country.

Already, some investors from the European Union,Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan have been talking with government officials on the prospect of establishing businesses in San Jose, which is only a 30-minute flight from Manila.

Concerned about the overcrowding and congestion in Boracay, where resorts and buildings continue to rise, the Deparment of Environment and Natural Resources recently ordered a moratorium on construction on the island.

Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona said the DENR order is a good opportunity for Romblon to offer to foreign and local investors the potentials of San Jose where the proposed Romblon Special Economic Zone Authority will soon rise. (BR)

dinabaw

August 14th, 2007, 08:12 AM

TheAvenger

August 14th, 2007, 09:08 AM

13 August 2007

Kamikaze Shrine is located just nearby the south side of the SCTEX bridge in Barangay Dolores, Mabalacat Pampanga.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/kamikaze40.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/kamikase41.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/sctex59.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/kamikaze43.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/kamikaze42.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/kamikaze46large.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/kamikaze47large.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/kamikaze54.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/kamikaze62.jpg

You can see the Subic - Clark to Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and the bridge which is located at Barangay Dolores, Mabalacat.

heathcliff

August 14th, 2007, 09:12 AM

That's really good news. Boracay needs a breather

I really hope Atienza will do something about Boracay. Everyone should be made aware that Boracay is not just any ordinary white beach but sustains one of the most diverse marine habitats in the world. Overcrowding and poor sewerage in Boracay and elsewhere in Central Philippines is causing biodiversity loss in the Visayan Sea. The government should be careful in taking steps that could result to further degradation of our waters.

crappypants

August 14th, 2007, 09:35 AM

and even in boracay you can see our overpopulation problem. inside the island you will find squatters , shanties with the garbage mountains. the beach is littered with their kids, It's just like a typical crowded baranggay. whreas a few years ago these were nonexistent. this is really not attractive to foreign tourists unless we're trying to attract only the pedophiles.

midwestguy1

August 14th, 2007, 09:45 AM

I think TheAvanger is kind of lost. His pampanga sojourns is posted in boracay thread... I think he is talking about subic-clark expressway. Wakey wakey sir avenger !!!! LMAO

Animo

August 14th, 2007, 10:17 AM

Rita Villadiego, Aug 08, 2007
NEW YORK — It was a trip back to history, a memorable and refreshing trip when Filipino Americans joined the 3rd Ambassadors, Consuls General Tour from July 13 to 20 this year.

“The tour offers to the participants many opportunities in terms of cultural enrichment and people-to-people exchanges, leisure and recreation, retirement programs and business networking. It is designed as well, to bring the Philippines closer to communities in North America,” Washington-based Ambassador Willy Gaa said.

Participants had diplomats for tour guides. They were led by Gaa and the consul generals in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

They stayed at luxurious Shangri-La Peninsula in Makati where they attended business meetings and explored the possibility of investing in the country’s emerging industries.

They toured the National Museum of the People, Money Museum, Metropolitan Museum to see pre-colonial gold exhibits. RTA Travel arranged the trip for participants in the NY area.

The majesty and grandeur of Spanish era were showcased in a museum at Villa Escudero in Tiaong, Quezon, about three hours from Manila. There, the participants marveled at the vast artifacts and antiques that go back to 16th century. The lavish tropical gardens of Villa Escudero, with coconut green palms swaying, carabao-drawn carriages and serenades of guitarists and folk singers were very refreshing experience.

The old Spanish houses in Vigan reflected the historic era of yesteryears when Spanish colonized the Philippines for centuries, said Sison.

Located 26 miles west of Manila is Corregidor island, known as the “Rock.” It was the last Filipino American bastion of its fall to the Japanese. The tour included a guided visit to the island’s canyons, American artillery and historical landmarks.

Some participants did a side trip to the famed sweet-white sand of Boracay, one of the famous and glorious beaches in the world with breathtaking sunsets and exotic palms, a paradise in wilderness. They sailed, snorkeled in the serene blue waters, had fine dining and stayed in intimate cottages under the brilliant sun.

http://www.philippinenews.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=e9028cc7c61008f304e8bc63550ec49a

TheAvenger

August 14th, 2007, 10:20 AM

I think TheAvanger is kind of lost. His pampanga sojourns is posted in boracay thread... I think he is talking about subic-clark expressway. Wakey wakey sir avenger !!!! LMAO

This is not Boracay Thread ............ this is Tourism Thread and for your information I have posted first in Pampanga Thread these Kamikaze photos.

But since there were thousands of potential Japanese Tourist who may check this Tourism Thread. Who knows maybe some of them were descendants or relatives of Kamikaze Pilots or Japs soldiers, and they maybe curious to look for these Kamikaze Shrine and other Japanese War Memorials. There is also a cave used by the Japanese soldiers in Bamban Tarlac nearby Mabalacat.

So it means money spents for the Transport, Restaurants, etc in Pampanga. Why you only want to promote Boracay ?

You are there in America making comments how to do things here in Pinas.... why not come here so you will know it better.

First start your travel to see the natural beauty, fauna, and flora of the islands of Sibuto and Sitangkai, then go to Simunol, Bongao and other islands of Tawi Tawi.

Then go to the many exciting island in Sulu and Basilan, and then if you are still intact (alive) , go to Clark and I will buy you a Beer in Fields Avenue.

Or you may just stay there in Sulu / Basilan area and learn there languages and culture, marry a local girl and have a nice life in the islands of paradise.

FrancisXavier

August 14th, 2007, 06:08 PM

Sea-based tourism may work for the Philippines, Malaysia

Cebu City — The Philippines and Malaysia can capitalize on common waters to develop sea-based tourism attractions that will benefit both countries.

In a press conference at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino yesterday, Malaysia Tourism Director-General Dato Mirza Mohammad Taiyab said developing sea-related activities such as sailing, cruising, yachting and game fishing in the waters between Sabah and Palawan could be the start of cooperation between the two countries.

"We could start from this. [Malaysia] is willing to reach out. But both governments have to exert effort. Both governments have to watch over [the activities]," he said.

Mr. Taiyab said Malaysia could include the Philippines, like Singapore and Thailand, in its promotional activities under a bilateral agreement.

Malaysia’s bilateral agreement with Singapore is based on accessibility as both countries used to be one country.

"When we [Malaysia] became independent, most of the airlines and tourists land in Singapore such that we asked Singapore to include Malaysia in its promotion. We contribute money to Singapore for our promotion."

In the case of Thailand, Malaysia’s cooperation with the said country is due to security threats of both countries, as they have the same borders.

Malaysian Deputy Tourism Minister Dato Donald Lim Siang Chai said there is no need to create and promote one brand for Asia.

"Asia is a brand already. We don’t have to promote it anymore. The world knows that Asia is about a different culture. [It’s] exotic," he said.

During the 2007 ASEAN Tourism Congress held at the Cebu International Convention Center in June, international tourism participants had different views on coming up with one Asian brand.

Kum Hoong Kong, manager of Silkair Philippines, said each country in Asia has different appeal to different markets.

CEI Hong Kong editor Shannon Sweeney echoed Mr. Kum’s statement, saying the concept of Asia "has many ideas."

It is still best for the individual economies to grow by their respective brands: Amazing Thailand; Malaysia, Truly Asia; Uniquely Singapore; Incredible India; Naturally Nepal and Korea Sparkling.

Felino "Jun" A. Palafox, Jr., principal architect and urban planner of Palafox Associates, said Asia could create the brand in its diversity. "Diversity in Asia is the brand. It is in this brand that we shall find unity," he said.

Mr. Taiyab said the branding or slogan of each country is just secondary. "More than the slogan is the money [allotted for promotion] behind it," he said.

The Malaysian government allocated $50 million for the worldwide promotion of Malaysia, Truly Asia.

Mr. Taiyab and Deputy Minister Shiang Chai led a Malaysian delegation to meet tour operators, representatives from the local airlines, members of the press and other travel trade personnel here and Manila to promote Malaysia as a preferred holiday destination.

The Philippines is one of Malaysia’s largest markets. In 2006, a total of 211,123 Filipinos visited Malaysia, an 18% increase from 2005. Its Ministry of Tourism is targeting 300,000 tourists from the Philippines this year.

Meanwhile, travel agencies and tour operators in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) will meet this year to develop and market tour packages.

Focusing on culture, adventure and nature (CAN), the BIMP-EAGA Consortium of Tour Operators and Travel Agents is projected by the BIMP-EAGA Tourism Council as an arm that will seek ways to maximize the region’s potential for tourism.

This was one of the major results of the BIMP-EAGA tourism value chain seminar and the fourth BIMP-EAGA joint tourism development cluster meeting, which were both held last month in Brunei Darussalam. — Jessica Banzon-Natad

kiretoce

August 14th, 2007, 08:43 PM

Malaysia proposes partnership with RP to tap cruise ship tourists (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2007/08/15/bus/malaysia.proposes.partnership.with.rp.to.tap.cruise.ship.tourists.html)

Tourism stakeholders in Malaysia have expressed their willingness to forge ties with tourism players in the Philippines to capitalize on the market of cruise ship travelers.

“We share common waters, the South China (sea). It’s a very good playground for cruising and yacht sailing,” said Dato’ Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, Malaysian Tourism director general.

Taiyab said the sea between Palawan and Sabah, Malaysia, for example, is an ideal location for activities like game fishing and diving, given the rich marine life in the area.

“But the Philippines — with (its) beautiful beaches — has more advantage,” he said.

Taiyab said developing the market of cruise ship travelers can only be possible if tourism stakeholders in both countries are eager to work together in developing attractive tour packages that will make the Philippines and Malaysia leading destinations for this target group.

Taiyab said Malaysia is willing to “put more effort” in forging a bilateral agreement with the Philippines that will push the growth of tourism industries in the two countries.

Agreements

Already, he said Malaysia has created the Malaysia-Singapore Tourism Council that aims to promote both countries for “mutual benefits.”

The Malaysian Government also has an agreement with the Thai Government to create sectors that will address issues on border areas and spur growth in trading and travel.

This is why, Taiyab said he is amenable to a unified Asian brand.

“Asia, in itself, is a brand. The 21st century is the Asian era with the growth of China and India,” he told a press conference during the Visit Malaysia promotional campaign at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino yesterday.

Asia makes up 11 percent of the movement of travelers around the world but this is expected to double in the coming years as more western countries have seen Asia’s potential in terms of business and leisure vis-à-vis history and culture, said Taiyab.

He also called on ASEAN member-countries to promoting the Southeast Asian region as a single leisure destination.

Malaysia is one of the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

“What is good about ASEAN when we don’t know each other?,” Taiyab asked.

This is why, Malaysian Deputy Tourism Minister Dato Donald Lim Siang Chai said the Visit Malaysia was created to increase ASEAN travelers, including Filipinos, to Malaysia.

While the Philippines is a new market, “it won’t be long for more Filipinos to travel to Malaysia,” said Chai.

Citing official records, Chai said the Philippines is one of Malaysia’s largest tourist market with total arrivals of 211,123 in 2006.

In the first three months of this year, a total of 64,102 Filipinos visited Malaysia compared to 48,974 in the same period last year.

Malaysia hopes to have 300,000 tourists from the Philippines at the end of 2007.

Espma

August 15th, 2007, 04:49 AM

Arkdriver

August 15th, 2007, 04:59 AM

i dont think we need huge seaports to enable these cruisers dock at the philippines. Maybe it's marketing. As usual, abovesaid countries governments are willing to spend hundred of million dollars to promote their country. Plus, major cruise line are owned by them (e.g. Star Cruise, owned by Genting Group of Malaysia).

midwestguy1

August 15th, 2007, 12:58 PM

This is not Boracay Thread ............ this is Tourism Thread and for your information I have posted first in Pampanga Thread these Kamikaze photos.

But since there were thousands of potential Japanese Tourist who may check this Tourism Thread. Who knows maybe some of them were descendants or relatives of Kamikaze Pilots or Japs soldiers, and they maybe curious to look for these Kamikaze Shrine and other Japanese War Memorials. There is also a cave used by the Japanese soldiers in Bamban Tarlac nearby Mabalacat.

So it means money spents for the Transport, Restaurants, etc in Pampanga. Why you only want to promote Boracay ?

You are there in America making comments how to do things here in Pinas.... why not come here so you will know it better.

First start your travel to see the natural beauty, fauna, and flora of the islands of Sibuto and Sitangkai, then go to Simunol, Bongao and other islands of Tawi Tawi.

Then go to the many exciting island in Sulu and Basilan, and then if you are still intact (alive) , go to Clark and I will buy you a Beer in Fields Avenue.

Or you may just stay there in Sulu / Basilan area and learn there languages and culture, marry a local girl and have a nice life in the islands of paradise.

You really hate me do ya?? Well, you got me on this one. I do owe you an apology this time. They were talking about Boracay and I just happened to pop in from a boracay thread so that is where the mix up. I thought you got mixed up as well but I didn't really mean to insult you for anything... I was actually enjoying your post in DMIA thread, great pics by the way... no pun intended here...

I've done some traveling in the Philippines already Sir, I even spent some time for school there during my 6 years of stay, or better. I just have to return to america because if I let it pass my 18th birthday or I would end up losing my citizenship, I only have Phil permanent resident status at the time. My point is I know enough about the beauty of the Philippines, but thanks for you invitation....

I will probably pass the Sulu area for obvious reason, I would be an easy target but I am sure I can blend in somehow, but, you never know.... I wanna keep my neck and my head... ouch, what a way to go...LOL

@kiratoce, i've seen some cruise ads around asia, it's something I would love to try. I've done some cruise before but mostly around bahamas and barbados area which is really nice but I want to try something different.

These cruise lines should tap atleast Cebu in any of their iterinaries as well as Manila with OLD Manila as part of the package together with the Ocean park once it is finished....

TheAvenger

August 15th, 2007, 02:04 PM

..I still find it disappointing how major cruise liners tend to skip the Philippines. I mean here for example, there are crusie packages that includes stop overs in Singapore, Thailand , Malaysia, China, Vietnam and Hong Kong..with over 7,000 islands how come the Philippines is overlooked? Is it because the Philippines lack huge seaports?..I mean, it cannot be worst than Vietnam..no offense.

You really don't need a huge seaports for cruise ships. I the cruise ship is 500 feet then you needed only 550 feet of wharf space. The technique there like in almost all port of the world, the cruise ship is given priority on arrival port since they stay not more than 12 hours or make it 24 hours in port. So if a Cruise ship arrive in port, and there is no available docking space on the Passenger Termina wharf or pier, the port authority will just order any cargo ship to leave the wharf and shift to the anchorage area. Then the Cruise ship will berthed. In the Carribean islands very big Cruise ships from MIami Florida or from Europe can berthed anytime on a very small wharf or pier.

So we don't need a huge port or a wharf or pier for the Cruise ships.

kiretoce

August 15th, 2007, 06:26 PM

@kiretoce, i've seen some cruise ads around asia, it's something I would love to try. I've done some cruise before but mostly around bahamas and barbados area which is really nice but I want to try something different.

These cruise lines should tap atleast Cebu in any of their iterinaries as well as Manila with OLD Manila as part of the package together with the Ocean park once it is finished....

Yeah, most US cruise itineraries are mostly on the Atlantic side (like the Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, or the Gulf of Mexico). But have you considered an Alaskan or Hawaiian cruise? Or maybe a cruise down to the Mexican Riviera (Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas, etc.).

By the way, how long does it take to cruise to the Philippines from mainland Southeast Asia? May be the reason why the Philippines is overlooked or not included on these cruise itineraries is because it's "off the beaten track."

midwestguy1

August 16th, 2007, 02:33 AM

Yeah, most US cruise itineraries are mostly on the Atlantic side (like the Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, or the Gulf of Mexico). But have you considered an Alaskan or Hawaiian cruise? Or maybe a cruise down to the Mexican Riviera (Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas, etc.).

By the way, how long does it take to cruise to the Philippines from mainland Southeast Asia? May be the reason why the Philippines is overlooked or not included on these cruise itineraries is because it's "off the beaten track."

Yeah, I've thought about Alaskan cruise, I've heard so much about it either. I just want something different. I'm sure Alaskan iteneraries has alot of outdoors type of adventure but it's always nice to have something exotic added to the adventure... I think there was a movie I saw before and it was filmed in a cruise liner in Asia. I can't remember the title of the movie as well as the actors/actresses in it. It was very much like the Royal Carribean Cruise.

kiretoce

August 16th, 2007, 02:51 AM

^^ My aunt and uncle just came back from their Alaskan cruise, it's the middle of summer and they said that it's still pretty cold up there in Alaska (well, when you think of it, they're from Florida, so anything below 70F is cold! :lol: ). Included on their cruise was sport fishing, glacier hikes, and of course the requisite shopping tours at the ports-of-calls they docked at. I've seen the photos they took and Alaska is very scenic and abundant in natural beauty. Makes me wanna plan for an Alaskan cruise for myself soon! :colgate:

pau_p1

August 16th, 2007, 08:30 AM

By the way, how long does it take to cruise to the Philippines from mainland Southeast Asia? May be the reason why the Philippines is overlooked or not included on these cruise itineraries is because it's "off the beaten track."

Yeah I think that is the reason... we are quite off the beaten track...

the only cruise ship here in SEA that I know of is Star Cruises... and they are based in Singapore...and they have cruises on the South China Sea side going to Malaysia, Thailand upto China... and another cruise on the Indian Ocean side of Malaysia and Thailand...

if they'll have a cruise to the Philippines.. from Singapore they'll cruise thru Palawan to get to Manila...... or thru Sulu to get to Davao and Cebu.... it will be a long sea trip from Manila to KL or Bangkok or even Xiamen via South China Sea... I think this is a negative factor for cruise passengers wanting more countries to visit in a short time if they'd include the Philippines in their itinerary...

dancethingy

August 16th, 2007, 10:13 AM

@ kiretoce, everybody wants to go alaska, they give you a thousand bucks just to live there. hehehehehehe

Rence

August 16th, 2007, 10:43 AM

Where : Quezon CityHall Grounds (Orchidarium Park)

When : August 30 to September 10, 2007

Event : 61st Mid-Year Orchid and Garden Show

Area: 2 hectare within Quezon Cityhall grounds

Landscaped Exhibits, Orchid and Ornamental Competition, Lectures and Demonstrations, Trade Fairs

Entrance Fee: Php 30 general public, Php 20 for students and senior citizens and Group discount available for 20 persons.

Visit the website, friendster, multiply :

http://philorchidsociety.multiply.com
http://philorchidsociety@yahoo.com
www.philorchidsociety.org
61st MID-YEAR ORCHID & GARDEN SHOW
ORCHIDARIUM PARK, QUEZON CITY HALL

Schedule of Lectures and Demonstration
August 31 to September 10, 2007

August
31(Friday) -3PM Orchid Propagation Techniques (from flask, compots, & seedlings)
Speaker: Mr. Norberto R. Bautista
September
01(Saturday) -10AM Landscaping with Orchids
Speaker: Mr. Fred B. Salud

- 3PM Basic Orchid Culture: Growing Philippine Orchid Species
Speaker: Mr. Kelvin Neil B. Manubay

02 (Sunday) -3PM Popular Ornamental Plants -- Ferns, Aroids and other Shade Loving Plants.
Speaker: Mr. Fernando Aurigue

03 (Monday) -3PM Basic Orchid Culture: Growing Vandaceous & Phalaenopsis Orchids
Speaker: Carlos Valeriano C. Lazaro

04 (Tuesday) -3PM Basic Orchid Culture: Growing Cattleyas & Dendrobiums
Speaker: Mr. Vicente M. Chin, Jr.

05 (Wednesday)-3PM Basic Orchid Culture: Potting Techniques
Speaker: Mr. Andres S. Golamco, Jr.

06 (Thursday) -3PM Basic Orchid Culture: Growing Spathoglottis & Epidendrums
Speaker: Ms. Rolita V. Spowart

07 (Friday) -3PM Pest & Diseases of Orchids
Speaker: Ms. Carnette Pulma

08 (Saturday) -10AM Ikebana & Freestyle Flower Arrangement
Speaker: Mr. Serapion Metilla

- 3PM Popular Ornamental Plants… Adeniums, Plumerias & Other Flowering Plants.
Speaker: Ms. Vangie Go

09 (Sunday) -3PM Basic Orchids forBeginners
Speaker: Mr. Wilhelm G. Ortaliz

10 (Monday) -3PM chids & Ornamental Plant for Business
Speaker: Angeles B. Salabit

For your questions, you may contact us at 929-4425 or 926-5061.

Espma

August 16th, 2007, 03:55 PM

@ kiretoce, everybody wants to go alaska, they give you a thousand bucks just to live there. hehehehehehe

awww it's soo pretty though hahaha so...there's truth to the Simpson's Movie after all ayyyy???

dancethingy

August 16th, 2007, 05:27 PM

^^^ So true, my dream is to see alaska before its destroyed

Animo

August 18th, 2007, 07:48 PM

By Jerome Aning
Inquirer
Last updated 07:22pm (Mla time) 08/10/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- A total of 1.53 million foreign visitors arrived in the Philippines in the first six months of this year, 7.6 percent more than arrivals during the same period last year, the Department of Tourism said Friday.

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said first semester statistics showed 1,528,507 tourists, with each month posting more than 240,000 visitors. Last year's first semester saw only 1,420,040 arrivals.

The first semester figure, however, was less than half of DoT's 3.1 million to 3.2 million target for 2007 as spelled out in its medium-term target of five million visitors by 2010.

"The intensive marketing campaign, invitational programs and participation of the country in the various travel fairs contributed to the increase in arrivals," Durano said.

As in last year, visitors from the United States were the biggest group on DoT's list of top arrivals by nationality with 314,336 arrivals. South Korea followed with 312,318, and Japan was in third place, with 197,095.

Arrivals from the US grew by only 1.8 percent, those from South Korea grew by 16.8 percent. Singaporeans, who placed eighth, posted the highest growth rate, 20.1 percent, with 45,894.

Other tourists on the DOT's list came from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with arrivals ranging from 39,000 to 64,000.

By region, visitors from East Asia accounted for more than 45 percent of all total arrivals.

There were less visitors from Israel, Russia and other countries belonging to the Commonwealth of Independent States, and Nauru this year, but there were more from Laos, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Greece, Denmark, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Nigeria.

Vacationing overseas Filipino who are permanent residents abroad numbered 89,382, growing by 15.5 percent.

The arrival figures were culled by DoT's Tourism Research and Statistics Division from arrival and departure cards at the airport and shipping manifests.

According to the Philippine Travel Agencies Association, an umbrella group of travel agencies and tour operators, the tourism industry in the country continued to expand and that foreign arrivals would top 2.84 million posted in 2006, which itself was a record high.

Major real estate companies have been constructing new hotels in Metro Manila, Cebu and Boracay in anticipation of the influx of foreign guests in the coming months, while major domestic airlines have launched re-fleeting programs to take advantage of rising tourist movement, according to the association.

DoT is hosting in Cebu City next month the Philippine Travel Exchange, where 120 of the world’s biggest foreign buyers of travel packages will be converging to do business directly with Philippine sellers.

Tourism industry players earlier expressed concern that the confrontation between government troops and Moro rebels in Mindanao may gain international media attention and affect the tourist perception of the Philippines.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=81801

kiretoce

August 20th, 2007, 02:51 AM

Monsoon tourism (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/aug/19/yehey/opinion/20070819opi1.html)

You may curse the rain but we heard the bright boys at the Department of Tourism are thinking of using our monsoon rains to attract tourists. They call it monsoon tourism.

There are only two types of weather in the Philippines: wet (rainy) or dry (sunny). God created the Philippine sun, sand and sea to attract visitors from the West. Who would enjoy our rain? Tourists from Arab countries, according to the tourism office.

Rain holds a fascination for people from the Arab world, according to the tourism experts. The Indian Ministry of Tourism has packaged the rainy season (typically from May to September) to invite Arab holidaymakers to visit the wettest parts of the country.

The Philippines rainy season is a good time to invite tourists from water-starved countries. The current rains and floods are making good copy on global TV and around the world.

Pictures of smiling children wading in knee-high waters should tempt those wishing to flee the Middle East sun. Photos of office workers coping with the rain suggest that living in this weather isn’t so bad at all.

President Arroyo was all smiles as she was photographed on the road waiting for the flood to subside. Director Quentin Tarantino said riding the tricycle (because the cars would not move) was fun.

The DOT could sell our siyam-siyam (literally nine-nine) downpour that is said to last at least nine days and nine nights. Rain induced by storms is dramatic. It showers practically every afternoon in Baguio and Tagaytay. If you love rain, a good place to enjoy it is along Manila Bay.

A good rain will almost always cancel classes and close offices. It’s a good reason for the kids to go out the house and to get themselves wet. Most people say rain increases their appetite. It is not surprising that lovers call it “bed weather.”

What else would tourists see during the rainy season? Filipino ingenuity is at its best when jobless young men construct instant “bridges” for people do not wish to get their feet wet. Carrying pedestrians piggyback is popular. One sees a variety of “boats,” from banana trunks tied together to spare tires strung in a row.

There are many ways to enrich monsoon tourism. The DOT could ask the San Juan city government to replicate its founding day (marked by public water-throwing) each time there is a big group of tourists. The Philippine Air Force could take up holidaymakers on its water-seeding flights.

cheersmate

August 20th, 2007, 03:27 AM

:ohno: had anyone experienced wading in a knee-deep or even chest-high flood in manila?it's a health risk each time..
monsoon tourism?sounds nice:nuts:

amigo32

August 20th, 2007, 04:55 AM

:lol: :lol: :lol: i was even surprised when my German brother inlaw would love to experience super typhoons, and see erupting volcanos. I was amazed he has list of all the volcanos in the Philippines (active and inactive)
Monsoon tourism (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/aug/19/yehey/opinion/20070819opi1.html)

You may curse the rain but we heard the bright boys at the Department of Tourism are thinking of using our monsoon rains to attract tourists. They call it monsoon tourism.

There are only two types of weather in the Philippines: wet (rainy) or dry (sunny). God created the Philippine sun, sand and sea to attract visitors from the West. Who would enjoy our rain? Tourists from Arab countries, according to the tourism office.

Rain holds a fascination for people from the Arab world, according to the tourism experts. The Indian Ministry of Tourism has packaged the rainy season (typically from May to September) to invite Arab holidaymakers to visit the wettest parts of the country.

The Philippines rainy season is a good time to invite tourists from water-starved countries. The current rains and floods are making good copy on global TV and around the world.

Pictures of smiling children wading in knee-high waters should tempt those wishing to flee the Middle East sun. Photos of office workers coping with the rain suggest that living in this weather isn’t so bad at all.

President Arroyo was all smiles as she was photographed on the road waiting for the flood to subside. Director Quentin Tarantino said riding the tricycle (because the cars would not move) was fun.

The DOT could sell our siyam-siyam (literally nine-nine) downpour that is said to last at least nine days and nine nights. Rain induced by storms is dramatic. It showers practically every afternoon in Baguio and Tagaytay. If you love rain, a good place to enjoy it is along Manila Bay.

A good rain will almost always cancel classes and close offices. It’s a good reason for the kids to go out the house and to get themselves wet. Most people say rain increases their appetite. It is not surprising that lovers call it “bed weather.”

What else would tourists see during the rainy season? Filipino ingenuity is at its best when jobless young men construct instant “bridges” for people do not wish to get their feet wet. Carrying pedestrians piggyback is popular. One sees a variety of “boats,” from banana trunks tied together to spare tires strung in a row.

There are many ways to enrich monsoon tourism. The DOT could ask the San Juan city government to replicate its founding day (marked by public water-throwing) each time there is a big group of tourists. The Philippine Air Force could take up holidaymakers on its water-seeding flights.

kiretoce

August 20th, 2007, 04:58 AM

^^ It's the thrill of the experience that probably draws them to it. I myself would love to see a volcano erupting in person, from a safe distance of course. :okay:

flymordecai

August 20th, 2007, 06:19 AM

metrosuburban

August 20th, 2007, 08:21 PM

I know its OT but, sa Taipei ba binabaha? coz i notice tv images from Taiwan during and after each supertyphoon, life is back to normal the next day... as if nothing has happened, like working traffic lights, subways, shops are open, av never heard or seen any news of waist deep floods, or children swimming at the floods, at isang buong barangay nagkasakit and all other ugly stuff... Taipei streets are even clean however heavy it rains...

Insanedriver

August 20th, 2007, 10:04 PM

lol i actually hate it when it rains or floods (that's why i like the middle east, it rains twice a year not the whole year round)... :lol:
because i grew up thinking flood is 50% rat piss as what my parents and relatives told me when i was a kid lol

amigo32

August 21st, 2007, 05:42 AM

TheAvenger

August 29th, 2007, 02:00 PM

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/bolinaoresort3.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/bolinaoresort2.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/bolinaoresort1.jpg

.

dancethingy

August 29th, 2007, 05:27 PM

^^^^ Bolinao and Anda in Pangasinan

These two places are "IT"
When i went there two years ago, i ran into a University of the Philippines and United Nations research team and they were so excited about their research in Bolinao and Anda. I didn't have to dig deep to see why they were so excited, these two places are so special.

This is more than boracay

TheAvenger

August 29th, 2007, 06:22 PM

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/angel865/boracay.jpg

Boracay

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/angel865/panglao1.jpg

Panglao Beach, Bohol

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/ZZZ_082707_2_b.jpg

Subic Bay

.

dancethingy

August 30th, 2007, 09:11 AM

^^^ oooohhh, whose the pretty lady?

Animo

August 30th, 2007, 09:33 AM

^^ Anak ni ka-Avenger. :D JK!

Due to its rich and complex history, the Philippines is a melting pot of cultures much like the U.S., and the third largest English speaking nation in the world. An early trading history with China and Japan, as well as Spanish colonization and American influence, has created a cross-breeding of cultures and resulted in a unique and alluring tropical vacation destination.

For U.S. visitors interested in experiencing the Philippines first-hand, New York-based Pacific Holidays, a tour operator specializing in travel to Asia, is offering a nine-night Islands Of The Philippines vacation package, inclusive of airfare, first-class accommodations, meals and sightseeing starting at $2,480* per person.

Upon arrival in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, an introductory tour of the city including Rizal Park and the historic walled Spanish colonial city of Intramuros will provide visitors with a first glimpse into the country's rich historical background. An excursion into the countryside takes vacationers to the small town of Pagsanjan, famous for its waterfalls. An exhilarating river boat ride through a tropical gorge will be a definite highlight.

A visit to Banaue reveals breathtaking views of the 2,000-year-old Banaue rice terraces, sculpted from steep mountain slopes, and referred to by many as the "Eighth Wonder of the World."

Vacationers will also experience the town of Baguio. Planned and built by Americans in the early 20th century, Baguio is a popular favorite vacation spot among Filipinos because of its cool climate and its vibrant flowers, vegetables, and strawberries.

Of course, a visit to the Philippines would not be complete without a visit to Cebu, the country's oldest city, known for its mangos and beach resorts. A city tour includes Magellan's Cross, Fort San Pedro, the Basilica del Santo Nino, the public market, and the Casa Gorordo Museum.

Finally, vacationers will enjoy a trip to the island of Bohol, home to the famous Chocolate Hills, a dense grouping of more than 1,268 hills which dry to a "chocolate" brown during summer months, resembling miles of oversized Hershey's Kisses. Bohol is also the home of the Tarsier, the world's smallest monkey, said to be no bigger than the palm of one's hand. Sightseeing in Bohol also includes a cruise along the palm-fringed Loboc River with lunch onboard a floating restaurant.

"The Philippines has much to offer, especially for visitors from the U.S.," said Emma Ruth Yulo, Director of the Philippine Department of Tourism in New York. "Vacation packages from tour operators such as Pacific Holiday save time and ensure smoother transfers. It is a hassle-free way to benefit from the full Philippines experience."

The Islands Of The Philippines vacation starts at $2,480* per person now through March 27, 2008, and varies by departure date. To book, contact Pacific Holidays at 800-355-8025.

* Pricing is based on air transportation from LAX and SFO. Other major gateways throughout the U.S. are available upon request. Please call Pacific Holidays at 800-355-8025 for more information.

Philippine Department of Tourism

The Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) is one of the Executive Departments of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines responsible for the promotion of travel to the Philippines, tourism investments, and enhancement and preservation of tourism products in the country. Field offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco provide the following services free of charge on a selective basis: dissemination of tourism information, maps, brochures and posters; lending out of videos, CDs and other tourism-related materials; recommendations on places to visit; endorsement of relevant entities; and assistance to those traveling to the Philippines. These offices also engage in a number of promotional activities: presentations to travel organizations, travel trade shows, media inserts and joint marketing arrangements.

The Philippine Department of Tourism is headquartered in Manila, Philippines, with offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.experiencephilippines.ph or www.wowphilippines.com.ph

Kahn Travel Communications (KTC) is the appointed publicist for the Philippine Department of Tourism, covering North America. Media may contact KTC at (516) 594-4100, or via e-mail at j.kahn@ktcpr.com

http://travelvideo.tv/news/more.php?id=12399_0_1_0_M

chocolato1000

August 30th, 2007, 10:47 AM

why is greenland ice and iceland green?

TheAvenger

August 30th, 2007, 11:22 AM

^^^ oooohhh, whose the pretty lady?

I guess she is Marian Rivera an actress in TV Series Marimar, her other photo I posted in the photo thread.

animasola

August 30th, 2007, 12:25 PM

why is greenland ice and iceland green?

haha... My friend told me a funny story though I'm not sure if it's true. As some Norseman or Vikings traveled the Northern Atlantic, they stumbled upon a beautiful island. They liked it so much and decided to stay there and keep it for themselves; they misled the others and told much of the outside world that it was full of ice and that Greenland, a huge island northwest of the area, would be a much better choice to settle. :lol:

It seems far-fetched but kinda possible. :nuts:

Sinjin P.

August 30th, 2007, 01:48 PM

I guess she is Marian Rivera an actress in TV Series Marimar, her other photo I posted in the photo thread.

No she isn't. Just one of the many beautiful Pinays :)

IsaRic

August 31st, 2007, 07:38 AM

I guess she is Marian Rivera an actress in TV Series Marimar, her other photo I posted in the photo thread.

i saw a pic on google and it doesnt look like her... at all...

TheAvenger

September 1st, 2007, 03:14 PM

.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/Mayon.jpg

MAJESTIC. Residents bask in the morning sun at the port of Legazpi City in Albay against the backdrop of Mayon Volcano. More than a year ago, this active volcano threatened to spew pyroclastic mud and law on the city, prompting officials to evacuate residents inside the seven-kilometer danger zone. CONTRIBUTED BY ANGIE DE SILVA

.

TheAvenger

September 1st, 2007, 04:17 PM

.

.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/hamilonbatangas.jpg

HAMILO Coast is made up of 13 distinct coves that house fine beaches and sparkling waters along the coast of Nasugbu in Batangas. The Pico de Loro Cove is the first of Hamilo Coast’s thirteen coastal developments.

By Tessa Salazar
Inquirer
Last updated 01:21am (Mla time) 09/01/2007

MANILA, Philippines—There’s no let-up of projects for Ayala-subsidiary Community Innovations Inc. (CII), SM Development Corp. and SM Investments Corp.

CII is developing a 6-hectare in-city property on Felix Huertas Street, San Lazaro, Manila, which includes a townhouse, condominium and retail infrastructure.

SM Development Corp. is into a new cluster of medium-rise towers near SM Bicutan, Taguig, while Hamilo Coast in Nasugbu Batangas, an Eco-Tourism project of SM Investments Corp., will feature 11 condominiums in Pico de Loro Cove (the first of Hamilo Coast’s 13 coastal developments).

you may read further on the below weblink :

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view_article.php?article_id=85932

VIDEO LINK :

http://www.gmanews.tv/video/11008/Review-Philippines-Kwentong-Kapuso-ni-Siegfried-Aus

http://www.gmanews.tv/video/11006/Review-Philippines-Kwentong-Kapuso-ni-Marie-Sudan

http://www.gmanews.tv/video/11005/Review-Philippines-The-Pinoy-Connection

http://www.gmanews.tv/video/11004/Review-Philippines-Kwentong-Kapuso-Alona-Canada

http://www.gmanews.tv/video/10890/Pinoy-Meets-World-Morocco

.

NOVO ECIJANO

September 1st, 2007, 05:13 PM

Big resort to rise on Calicoan Island

GUIUAN, EASTERN SAMAR -- A multimillion-dollar beach resort would soon rise on Calicoan Island, which is envisioned as the surfing capital in Eastern Visayas.

Tim Brumlik, American resort developer and director of the Calicoan Island Resort Development Corp. (CIRDC), said the project would cost around $160 million.

Brumlik said construction work on the resort would start in January next year and would take over two years to finish.

CIRDC’s proposed 11-hectare resort would be located at the middle beach of the 1,600-hectare Calicoan Island, he said.

Douglas Ramsey, the architect who designed the project, said the eight-story hotel would be shaped like a pyramid and would have outdoor balconies.

Ramsey said the project would be a series of complexes with the condominium hotel as the main complex.

Aside from the condominium hotel, the resort would also have 20 private villas and a two-hectare swimming pool complex, he said.

The other features would include a health spa with casino component, medical facility for cosmetic surgery, stabilization unit, heliport, and a sports complex.

Brumlik said the investors of their Philippine corporation included himself and a few Europeans.

Lawyer Manuel Go, owner of the land to be occupied by CIRDC’s resort hotel, said a group of Korean investors would also set up a 500-room luxury hotel at the south beach of Calicoan Island.

Go also explained that his company does not have any involvement in the American and Korean business ventures, except to provide the site for the projects.

“We develop land and then find the people that do the verticals,” Go said.

Victor Domingo, presidential assistant for Eastern Visayas, said the government would be setting up infrastructure requirements for the upcoming resorts, such as a good airport, roads, power and water.

Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone, some Korean businessmen, local businessmen and other government officials attended the project’s launching held recently.

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=86046

AH-7Raja

September 1st, 2007, 06:04 PM

Philippines is slowly becoming a major tourist destination in asia. Few more years we'll be overtaking thailand! :banana:

mambo

September 1st, 2007, 08:07 PM

not so fast, thailand is still miles ahead, but surely in the future well be one of major tourist destinations in asia

bariQ

September 1st, 2007, 10:22 PM

but our tourists are mostly koreans! in the airports, 90% of the tourists i see are color coded koreans :lol:

dancethingy

September 1st, 2007, 10:38 PM

Hey, Koreans have good taste and their flocking to our country confirms just that.

TheAvenger

September 2nd, 2007, 12:56 AM

Philippines is slowly becoming a major tourist destination in asia. Few more years we'll be overtaking thailand! :banana:

Hope not overtake Thailand in Prosti industry. I have been in some places in Thailand a few years ago and they got a booming prosti industry.

animasola

September 2nd, 2007, 06:38 AM

^^Pano mo nalaman? :lol:

biro lang ha. :)

TheAvenger

September 2nd, 2007, 08:49 AM

^^Pano mo nalaman? :lol:

biro lang ha. :)

I used to do some research on that industry in that country, in Sri Racha, Bangkok, and other place I forget the name already. In Sri Racha you will fall in love with their beauty... some were even more beautiful than our movie actres. That is daytime ha..... not in the evening where too much drink will spoil your judgement.

iamjomar

September 2nd, 2007, 09:11 AM

so ironic....umaga ang showtime hehehehe:bash:

TheAvenger

September 2nd, 2007, 09:34 AM

.

GUIUAN, EASTERN SAMAR

A multimillion-dollar beach resort would soon rise on Calicoan Island, which is envisioned as the surfing capital in Eastern Visayas.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/calicoan2.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/calicoanisland1.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/calicoanisland3.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/calicoanisland4.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb244/jibrael865/calicoansurfcamp-1.jpg

surf camp

.

kiretoce

September 4th, 2007, 06:16 AM

RP nears 3.1-M visitors mark (http://www.mb.com.ph/TOUR20070904102085.html)

It will be another monumental year for the Philippine tourism industry and Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano is most optimistic about this.

"With the way things are going, we are right on track on our target of 3.1 million tourist arrivals by year-end," Durano said. "This will be the first time that we will be accommodating more than three million tourists."

Latest figures released by the Department of Tourism (DoT) show that arrivals for the first half of the year already reached 1,528,507 or a growth of 7.6 percent compared to the same period last year.

Visitor receipts also reflect a steady climb due to prolonged stay of tourists with the DoT targetting .9 billion in tourist expenditures for 2007.

UNPRECEDENTED

Since the start of the year, the Philippines has been registering unprecedented arrivals of more than 200,000, with the highest in January with a volume of 272,525, while the month of March recorded the highest growth of 15.1 percent.

Durano attributes the growth to the DoT’s intensive marketing campaign, invitational programs and participation of the country in the various travel fairs.

"Our highly focused, creative and innovative marketing efforts in core and emerging markets are paying off. We have successfully accelerated demand by investing more in the core markets like China, Japan, Korea and North America for both quick returns and long term growth. We now have an increasing support in strategic and momentum markets such as Russia, Germany, Australia and India. While reinvigorating and maintaining heightened presence in turn-around and investment markets such as Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore," he said.

The East Asian region maintained its position as the largest contributor of arrivals by region, accounting for 45.3 percent of the overall traffic base. It posted an increase of 6.5 percent, from 650,163 last year, to 693,334 arrivals this year.

The combined arrivals of 358,442 supplied by the North American countries made this region the second biggest supplier, growing by 2.8 percent.

The ASEAN region shared 7.3 percent or 112,116 arrivals, ranking third in visitor contribution, while Australasia/Pacific provided 77,057 arrivals to constitute the fourth biggest arrivals by region, registering a 6.8 percent increase. Visitors from Western Europe increased by 9.1 percent as arrivals reached 62,957 as compared to 57,696 last year.

NEW CHALLENGE

According to Durano, the challenge now is how to service the demand.

"With the momentum being sustained until 2009, as we are slated to host numerous international high–profile conventions and conferences in the next two years, including the UN Tourism Conference for Parliamentarians in 2009, we are trying to accelerate the completion of infrastructure projects, particularly the construction of hotels, resorts and airports, and the expansion of airlines, that is, the paradise to paradise air services."

To date, more than R100 billion worth of investments have been pouring in from both the local private investors and international businesses from Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the US. The DoT is expecting 3,000 new rooms in the next two years including a 6-star resort at the Elephant Island in Marinduque.

While the hospitality sector is increasing capacity in accommodations as well as upgrading facilities, the transport sector is working on expanding flights, opening new routes and increasing seat capacities to improve access within the islands and provide affordable transportation.

Recently completed projects include the New Bacolod Airport in Negros Occidental, Iloilo Airport, Jagna Port in Bohol, Maasin Port in Southern Leyte and the Southern Leyte Ferry Terminal.

The country continues to reap accolades as a world class destination. The Philippines was recently named one of the "Top 10 New Rising Destinations" and "Top 10 MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) Destinations" by the China Tourism News. On the other hand, El Nido in Palawan was adjudged winner in the Japanese television show called "World’s 100 Magnificent Views."

Over the past three years, visitor arrivals to the country expanded at an average of 14 percent per annum, greater than the growth rates registered by ASEAN countries and surpassing the projected seven percent increase of tourist traffic in the Asia Pacific region by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The UNWTO opined that the Philippines will continue to reap substantial gains as the number of international travelers to Asia Pacific increases.

chocolato1000

September 5th, 2007, 03:49 PM

RP expects 3 million tourists this year -- tourism chief

By Irene Sino Cruz
Visayas Bureau
Last updated 06:47pm (Mla time) 09/05/2007

CEBU CITY, Philippines -- Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said the Philippines would likely hit the three million foreign tourists target set by the Department of Tourism for 2007.

"2007 is a monumental year for Philippine tourism. This is the first time that the country will be accommodating more than three million tourists," Durano said in a statement read by DOT Central Visayas regional director Patria Aurora Roa during the opening of the three-day Philippine International Tourism Fair (PITF) on Wednesday.

Over 100 foreign and 300 local buyers converged in Cebu to attend the PITF and the Philippine Travel Exchange (Phitex), two major tourism events designed to boost tourist arrivals here and in the rest of the Central Philippines.

Organized by the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (Naitas), the PITF is the country's first international tourism fair while Phitex is a project of the tourism department.

Durano noted that the PITF, like other travel fairs, would help travelers learn about the country's wide range of tourism products.

"For the first time, a travel-cum-consumer fair gathers under one roof various users of tourism products from foreign buyers and local suppliers who get to network and trade to consumers who hunt for special vacation packages at very affordable prices," he pointed out.

Durano said that the Philippines recorded over 1.5 million foreign tourists for the first six months this year, a 7.6 percent growth over arrivals during the same period last year.

He cited the convention market and the English as Second Language (ESL) tour program for having contributed to the growth of foreign tourists.

The participants in conventions have grown while the post-convention tours have helped promote extended stays, Durano said.

The ESL tour program has also encouraged Koreans and other foreigners to pursue longer term or degree courses, he added.

The growth in tourist arrivals has benefited the hospitality industry with Metro Manila hotels enjoying 74 percent occupancy rates while hotels and resorts in Cebu, Boracay, Baguio and Bohol enjoying even higher occupancy rates, Durano pointed out.

Roa, in an interview, said the twin events would boost the tourism industry since buyers and sellers would come up with possible tie-ups during one-on-one business matching sessions, a concrete step in getting the tourists.

She noted that they were able to fill up the exhibit area, which has a capacity of 120 booths. "The exhibitors have better appreciation of how the event could benefit them. That's why they're all here," Roa said.

She also disclosed that buyers come from both top and emerging tourism markets, such as South Korea, Japan, Russia, Canada and China.

Before meeting with sellers on Thursday, the 110 foreign buyers went on city tours Wednesday to see what Metro Cebu could offer tourists, said Naitas Cebu president Jenny Franco.

The foreign buyers included tour operators, travel specialists and corporate executives while the local buyers included owners and executives of local resorts, hotels, medical tourism hospitals, golf courses and other tourism-oriented establishments.

The three-day event also provides the various destinations, such as Bohol, Palawan, Subic, Davao, Camiguin, Camarines Sur and Camiguin an opportunity to showcase their attractions.

Ex!lE

September 7th, 2007, 03:23 AM

Lack of air seats hamper tourism industry growth (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=52&type=2&sec=71&aid=20070906239)
By Ehda M. Dagooc
Friday, September 7, 2007

Although the Philippines has great potential to attract high-spender tourists, lack of air-seat capacity and attractive tour packages continued to hamper the sector from reaching its maximum potential.

This was pointed out by Eduard Grigoriev, a Russian international travel agent, who was part of the 102 delegation of the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITX) held at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).

According to Grigoriev, Russians who are interested to travel to the Philippines are having difficulties in booking air-seats.

“Thanks to the Filipino Overseas Workers who are based in the Middle East, they always make the airline booking full. We always have difficulty in getting airline seats going to the Philippines,” Grigoriev said.

In Cebu, only Qatar Airways that offers an earlier direct flight from Cebu to Europe, via Doha, even this route can be easily filled by the OFWs, he said.

Also, he said travel operators must also create attractive packages that will include adventurous, as well as family friendly itineraries that would bring Russian tourists to exotic places.

He said for Russians, cost is not a problem as long as a tour package is worth paying for.

Because of these problems, among others, only 12,000 Russians in average visited the Philippines, compared to 150,000 Russians who go to Thailand for vacation and leisure escapades.

About eight million Russians are frequent international travelers. Philippines, he said is an emerging destination, but these problems have always discouraged some Russians to pursue their Philippine-vacation plan.

Grigoriev also mentioned food servings in the Philippines. He said restaurants and hotels must also adjust to the Russian’s meal size serving. It has to be bigger than the standard Asian serving.

Grigoriev’s suggestion coincided with the comments made earlier by Russian Federation Ambassador to the Philippines Vitaly Y. Vorobiev, who said that the Philippines, especially the central part of the country, could be a number one vacation and leisure destination for Russians, if tourism support services and infrastructure here were good.

The Ambassador admitted that the Philippines has great potential as relaxation haven for Russians, unfortunately “your quality of service, and [tourism] infrastructure is lagging behind.”

The Philippines’ central part, including Cebu, Bohol, and Aklan are now three of the best picks of Russian’s preferred destinations, but these provinces could expect more Russian visitors, if supported with proper infrastructure, good marketing campaign, and wide choice of special interest destinations and activities.

Ex!lE

September 7th, 2007, 03:24 AM

Cebu hailed as “tourism mecca” of RP (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=52&type=2&sec=71&aid=20070906235)
By Rhia de Pablo
Friday, September 7, 2007

Having hosted the ASEAN summit last year, it comes to no surprise that Cebu now hosts another big event in Philippine history that is the 1st Philippine International Tourism fair (PITF) back-to-back with the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX).

At the opening of the international fair last Wednesday, PITF 2007 Chairman and NAITAS (National Association of Independent Travel Agencies) President Angel Ramos- Bognot said that Cebu was chosen over other key cities in the country to host such a momentous occasion for Philippine tourism mainly because of its readiness to welcome all nationalities of the world and because it has also become culturally-oriented in the realm of tourism.

And since Cebu has achieved the number one spot as tourism destination in the Philippines, it is now has been tagged as the “tourism mecca” of the country.

Bognot also expressed that the PITF event hit two birds in one stroke as Cebu became a venue for trade of foreign and local buyers and sellers making way for a vibrant and robust global tourism as the event’s theme said.

On the other hand in a delivered speech from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, it pointed out that 50% of foreign arrivals came from Central Philippines and Cebu is the top destination. Arroyo also added that in order to raise Cebu’s competitiveness in the global arena, vital infrastructure were invested like the Nautical Highway that spills all over other destinations in its neighboring towns. This in turn gives opportunities of expansion for business growth in the country and made Cebu not just the country’s top destination but also of the whole world.

Part of the President’s speech reads, “Cebu is the tourism Mecca of the Philippines since it has what it takes to become an international, world-class destination as it is a strategic gateway to the country. Raising Cebu’s competitiveness high is like raising the Philippine’s competitiveness level high as well.”

Ex!lE

September 7th, 2007, 03:56 AM

Dive sites luring more European tourists to RP (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20070906183)

Friday, September 7, 2007
CEBU CITY – Europeans are flocking to the Philippines for scuba diving.

The number of European tourists in the Philippines jumped by 13.6 percent in the first half of the year as the Department of Tourism began promoting the country as the world’s best diving site.

Speaking to reporters, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said scuba diving is emerging to be the magnet for high-spending travelers who look for world-class diving facilities.

“Scuba diving is one product we are very competitive in,” he said.

“The Philippines for the first time this year is focusing on scuba diving. The biggest travel wholesalers in France and Germany began to carry the Philippines again.”

Durano said the DOT has shifted its marketing thrust in Europe to scuba diving to win back the attention of European travelers.

Recently, the DOT signed an agreement with Qatar Airways to include the Philippines in its two scuba diving packages, he added.

Durano said international arrivals for the first half of the year totaled more than 1.5 million, or a 7.6 percent growth compared to the same period last year.

“This will be a milestone year for the tourism industry because for the first time in our history, we are looking at breaching the three-million mark by yearend,” he said.

Durano foresees visitor receipts increasing to as much as $2.9 billion or P133 billion this year.

“Visitor expenditure growth averaged 20.11 percent over the last three years, making the industry one of the top dollar earners,” he said.

Durano said more than $2 billion in investments have been poured into tourism estates, hotel and resorts developments.

“An international luxury resort company is now developing a six-star hotel in Elephant Island, Marinduque – a prime example of the global business community’s revived interest in the country,” he said.

Durano said the investments spread out into other emerging destinations such as Marinduque and Eastern Samar, South Cotabato, Bantayan Island, Pampanga and Camarines Sur.

“It is still very much a supplier’s market for the industry, as resorts and hotels are overwhelmed with the strong demand for rooms. It is a good challenge to have and we need to ensure that infrastructure development preserves and sustains the natural resources in these areas,” he said.

Additional new routes have also been opened, such as Korea-Davao, Korea- Kalibo, Taipei-Cebu, and Shanghai-Cebu, as well as with India and Russia, he added.

Durano said the DOT is on the right track and that it was able to set the momentum for 2008 and beyond.

“Year 2007 is a milestone year, but I believe the best is yet to come,” he said.

Durano led yesterday the opening of the 7th Philippine Travel Exchange (Phitex) at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), the first time the event was held outside Metro Manila.

Around 110 foreign buyers from Russia, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Japan, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, United Kingdom, Hungary and Poland participated in this year’s Phitex, said Tess Mauricio, Phitex project manager.

The event was also participated in by 147 local sellers, comprised mostly of hotels and resorts, tour operators, three airlines and two convention facilities, including the CICC.

“Phitex is our industry-oriented marketing tool aimed at opening up new foreign markets and reviving the dormant ones by directly tapping the major players or big travel firms in our target countries,” Durano said.

Phitex is part of the DOT’s aggressive marketing campaign to attract three million foreign travelers this year and five million by 2010, he said.

Blaise Borezee, a French marketing consultant hired by the DOT, said the Philippines was selected as the “Destination of the Year” for the Scuba Diving Show to be held in Paris in January next year, where around 50,000 French scuba divers are expected to attend.

Durano said the positive travel advisory for the Philippines given by the French government in June will further boost tourist arrivals from the European country in the coming months.

Edward Grigoriev, DOT’s marketing representative in Russia, said the Philippines is now a priority diving destination in Russia.

“The Philippines has a lot of natural and cultural assets,” he said.

Grigoriev said the Department of Foreign Affairs has recently included Russia in the list of countries with 21-day visa free entry in the Philippines.

“We should be quite aggressive in this country, because it has huge territory,” he said.

Vincent Soriano, in charge of promoting the country in Poland and the Czech Republic, said the Philippines is also getting more attention from the tourists from these countries.

In the first half, arrivals went up by 7.6 percent to 1.529 million, he added. – Helen Flores, Mayen Jaymalin

kiretoce

September 13th, 2007, 05:32 AM

Tourism seeks direct flights from Europe (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=business4_sept10_2007)

The tourism industry is calling on the government and the air transport sector to establish direct flights between the Philippines and different European countries to take advantage of the multi-billion-dollar tourism market in the northwestern hemisphere.

Officials in charge of promoting the Philippines in Europe said the lack of direct flights to and from Europe limited the flow of European travelers into the country.

Vincent Soriano, who is based in Prague, said only European travelers ,who were willing to spend as much as $3,000 per person, actually visited the Philippines and used the amount mostly on air transport.

At present, European travelers have to take connecting flights from other Southeast Asian countries or the Middle East to go to the Philippines , which makes the trip expensive.

“If we can only have twice-weekly direct charter flights of a 200-seat Boeing 737-200 to and from Eastern Europe, you will see the number of tourists from Poland and the Czech Republic rising dramatically,” said Soriano, who participated in the Philippine Travel Exchange 2007 held last week at the Cebu International Convention Center wherein 110 foreign buyers, including 25 tour operators from Europe, and 147 domestic sellers, representing 86 hotels, resorts, and other establishments participated.

Soriano said Czech tourists made eight million trips a year while tourists from Poland also spent heavily on outbound travel. In the Czech Republic alone, there are more than 100,000 divers who are potential visitors to the Philippines, which takes pride of some of the world’s most fascinating diving sites.

“These travelers feel deprived of infrastructure to go to the Philippines,” he said, while complaining that no Philippine carriers seems interested in opening flights to Europe.

Philippine Airlines president Jaime Bautista earlier disclosed his company’s plan to fly to Europe, but he said this depends on the pace of their refleeting program that is seen to be completed beyond 2010.

In the first half of 2007, visitor arrivals from Europe rose 13.6 percent to 144,837 from 127,525 a year ago, but Soriano said the number could grow faster if there will be direct flights to the Philippines.

But the Department of Tourism claimed that it has convinced some airlines to serve the Philippine market on chartered flights.

diz

September 13th, 2007, 07:38 AM

i thought i read another article that said PAL wouldn't be making flights to Europe anytime soon due to it not being profitable.

Animo

September 13th, 2007, 07:54 AM

French tourists are now free to go to RP with the lifting of the travel ban

BY RACHEL C. BARAWID

Following the success of its campaign in Korea, Japan and China, the Department of Tourism (DoT) is now using the same formula of aggressive, focused marketing of the Philippines in the long-haul markets of France and other nations in Eastern Europe.

For starters, in France, the DoT begins by changing the tainted image of the country, erroneously perceived as a very unsafe country.
Blaise Borezee, DoT marketing representative for France, reported that the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has finally lifted in June the travel ban on the Philippines.

After lobbying efforts made by the DoT, the Philippines has finally gotten a clean slate and the much-desired green rating in the color-coded system of marking for travel advisories in France.

"RP used to have a red or orange rating which signifies it as a very dangerous country. This corresponds to a travel ban on all tourist places in the Philippines which are perceived as dangerous due to kidnappings, bombings and other terrorist acts," Borezee said.

GREEN FOR GO

But now, Borezee explained that all tourist destinations in the Philippines are already in green.

This same rating is enjoyed by popular destinations like Malaysia and Thailand. This means that French nationals can now travel to the Philippines except in South Mindanao which still holds a red rating in the travel advisory.
"This, however, is not much of concern anymore to the French who are only interested in traveling to other areas except this region,’’ said Borezee.
The lifting of the ban, also means good news to the French tour operators who are now allowed to promote the Philippines and sell its tour packages.
Tour operators in France are being held responsible for their clients’ safety while on a tour. If any untoward incident happens to the client while in another country, they will have to pay a steep price as compensation, and this may often result to bankruptcy.

Last year, a tour operator had to pay his client one million euro (approx. R600 million) after being kidnapped in Malaysia and brought to Jolo by the Abu Sayaff.

The enhanced image, lifting of the ban, aggressive promotions by the DoT, robust Philippine economy and the continuous development for new tourist infrastructure have fueled the increase in tourist arrivals from France, according to Borezee.

Around 9,211 French tourists visited the country from January to June, posting an increase of 23.5 percent compared to 7,456 arrivals in the same period in 2006.

Last year, total arrivals from France reached 16,000. Borezee said they are hoping to sustain this trend of 20 percent increases in tourist arrivals for the next few years.

FAVORING RP OVER CROWDED DESTINATIONS

People in the world’s No. 1 tourist destination are now veering away from the overcrowded, popular destinations like Thailand and Malaysia. They are seeking to explore new places to go diving and spend their beach holidays.
Borezee revealed that this is the main reason why the French are attracted to the Philippines. Also, the country’s fine beaches and other unique natural attractions coupled with the Filipinos' high level of English proficiency are what appeals most to the French.

Borezee said the Philippines, at the moment, is being promoted as a special interest destination for diving and trekking.

Destinations that cater to the French tourists’ preferences are Bohol, Palawan, Boracay, and northern Luzon.

"Bohol is most appealing to the French market because it offers a combination of different kinds of activities and attractions like diving, beaches, wellness, nature, rivers, culture and history. One can see and do everything in one island," he pointed out.

Palawan, according to Borezee, corresponds to the French idea of paradise. It is far from mass tourism and there are numerous exclusive resorts that cater to demand of the French market, particularly the honeymooners. Boracay, Cebu and the north Luzon area, are also on their list.

"The Banaue Rice Terraces is very famous in France. For cultural tours, Laoag is also getting popular," he added.

But while the rest travel to these established destinations, he disclosed that there are also a group of independent travelers who don’t book in travel agencies. They prefer to travel to remote islands and discover places on their own, oftentimes, staying only in inns or small hotels. Exotic destinations being explored by these type of tourists include Mindoro, Romblon, Camiguin, Siquijor, and Siargao.

Borezee relayed that the French are pleasantly surprised about the culture of Filipinos. Before arriving in the Philippines, most of them expect an Asian atmosphere but they are surprised to find a strong Latin American influence combined with Asian, Pacific and Spanish characteristics in almost all aspects of Filipino life.

"This is very unique for them. They also find the country and its people authentic and sincere. They have a very good impression of the people, the way they behave, and in their interaction with tourists. Normally, Asian people are shy and maintain a great distance between themselves and the tourists. But here people are more friendly, hospitable and westernized. They can easily communicate to tourists," he said.

EASTERN EUROPE

Meanwhile, newly-appointed market representative for Eastern Europe Vincent Soriano sees a lot of potential in huge tourist-generating nations in this part of the continent.

He said the Philippines stands to attract large numbers of tourists in Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Prague and Southern Europe.
A former tourism representative of Thailand, Soriano said he plans to use the Buddhist country’s successful tourism promotions as benchmark for the Philippines.

He stressed that the major thrust in tapping these European markets is by first providing air access, ideally direct flights from these destinations to the country.

"My thrust is open skies. Hopefully there will be more airlines looking at us including charter operations. What we really lack is the direct flight. Qatar Airways flies via Doha to Manila. By the time one gets get to Doha, the flights are already full. The same situation happens on a CX flight enroute to Manila. By the time you get to Frankfurt or London, there are no more available seats," Soriano lamented.

He said the best solution is for airlines to fly to other major cities in Eastern Europe like Prague. This city in Czech Republic is a tourist hub which receives 100 million visitors a year. Many Asian networks use this route. A flight from here to the Philippines would certainly prove to be cheaper, and hassle-free specially to tourists and Filipino travelers coming from Europe.

Media familiarization trips and intensified promotions are among the immediate strategies that the DoT should employ to attract tourists from eastern Europe.

Arrivals from this area including Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States and Poland reached 7,855 from Jan. to June, an increase of 14.4 percent from 6,868 arrivals recorded in the same period last year.

http://www.mb.com.ph/TOUR20070913102894.html

OtAkAw

September 16th, 2007, 01:15 PM

^^It's about time we lure in Europeans.

a s i a n a

September 17th, 2007, 01:34 PM

Mukhang interesting ang Czech market ah. Marami ba talagang Czech tourists dito sa Pilipinas?

Animo

September 18th, 2007, 08:57 PM

WATERFRONT Philippines, Incorporated (WPI), the largest Filipino owned and managed first class hotel chain in the country, will launch a new look on the Internet this week.

With the increasing trends on online booking for hotels, Waterfront took a major step in managing its own back-end operations of its on-line booking system.

The website is powered by Micros Fidelio, the world's leading provider of enterprise application for hospitality and retail industries worldwide.

Waterfront is the first hotel chain in the country to manage its very own e-reservations, where all its database and back-end operations are being done in the Philippines, unlike other hotels where the on-line booking system are being sourced out in other countries.

Currently, Waterfront's marketing network stretches across 2,000 local and international travel agencies and 5,000 active corporate clients.

It has already opened its doors to global distribution system a couple of years ago by partnering with global distributors like Rates to Go, DirectWithHotels, and Unirez Hotel Factory. All are online reservations and booking portals worldwide.

It was in this effort that the company has seen great potential for all of its properties to be marketed not only regionally but to global networks as well.

WPI's Global Distribution System (GDS) accounts for a fifth of its monthly room revenues with a growth rate of 30 percent on the first half of this year.

The group is expecting an additional increase of 20 percent in room sales, from its year to date revenue from GDS of P342,683,320 with the launching of its own on-line booking system.

The new website is geared to serve not only its walk-in clients and travelers, but also its accredited travel agencies and corporate clients through password-protected rates.

On-line bookers can make reservations in five different languages, including Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Spanish and French. Special promotional rates and packages are also on offer at the website.

Waterfront Philippines, Incorporated has a portfolio of five hotels in the Philippines. It is the only hotel chain in the country that has a presence in the key cities of the archipelago.

In Manila, it operates the Manila Pavilion Hotel and G Hotel Manila by Waterfront, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino and the Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino Mactan in Cebu, and Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao in Davao.

For quick and hassle-free reservations in any Waterfront hotels, one may log on to www.waterfronthotels.com.ph or call 687-0888 or email msro@watefronthotels.net.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2007/09/17/bus/waterfront.launches.first.online.reservation.system.html

kiretoce

September 20th, 2007, 10:35 PM

PGMA lauds SEAIR opening up routes to Mindanao tourism (http://news.balita.ph/html/article.php/20070920124837418)

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo lauded local carrier South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) for its commitment to help increase commercial activity and tourism in Mindanao by opening up new routes in the region.

The President recently graced the inaugural flight of SEAIR's Cebu-Pagadian-Cebu route which would make travelling for tourists and businessmen easier.

This would also help promote tourism activities in Zamobanga del Sur and nearby provinces.

SEAIR now flies to Cebu-Pagadian-Cebu every Mondays and Thursdays. This new route is in line with the Clark-based airline's expansion plans for the year.

While in Pagadian City, the President also inaugurated the Agro-Tourism and Heritage Complex aimed at making Zamboanga del Sur a tourism hub in southwestern Mindanao.

The event, which coincided with the 55th anniversary celebration of Zamboanga del Sur, was highlighted by the unveiling of the Megayon Monument through the dropping of the blue cloth.

Megayon is a Subanen word for unity which is the goal of the provincial leadership headed by Gov. Aurora Cerilles to forge a genuine and harmonious relationship among the people of Zamboanga del Sur.

The Chief Executive also graced the opening of the "Biyahe Na Sa Zambo Sur and the Megayon Festival."

The Biyahe Na Sa Zambo Sur is an annual exposition showcasing the tourism attractions of the constituent local government units of the Zamboanga Peninsula.

The Megayon Festival is a meaningful celebration of peace and solidarity which features the age-old traditions and customs of the people of Zamboanga del Sur.

On the other hand, SEAIR president Avelino Zapanta said the airline "reaffirms its commitment to help increase commercial activity and tourism in the area. Since the opening of a regional hub in Zamboanga City in 2002, SEAIR currently flies to Jolo and Tawi-Tawi on a daily basis and to Cotabato every Monday, Wednesday and Friday."

He said SEAIR aims to bridge the Philippine islands by offering secondary and missionary routes to complement the trunk line routes serviced by other major players in the domestic airline industry.

The airline now flies to 15 local tourist destinations -- Manila, Caticlan (Boracay) and Cebu in Visayas; Clark in Northern Luzon; Busuanga, Cuyo, El Nido, Puerto Princesa and Rodriguez in Palawan Province, Camiguin, Cotabato, Jolo, Pagadian, Tawi-Tawi and Zamboanga in Mindanao.

"Our Cebu-Pagadian route will make travelling for tourists and businessmen easier," said Zapanta.

"Pagadian City has become more accessible -- now only 35 minutes away from Cebu via SEAIR," he added.

Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said 2007 is a milestone year for Philippine tourism as more than 1.5 million foreign tourists arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in the first semester alone, an almost eight percent growth over the same period last year.

With more local and national efforts to promote the Philippines, the rate of tourism influx can go higher in 2010, he said.

Pagadian City is a first class city of Zamboanga del Sur and is the regional center of the Zamboanga Peninsula, the largest province of Western Mindanao.

It serves as gateway to the cities of Ozamis, Iligan and Cotabato. Its total land area is 331.6 square kilometers with 54 barangays and a population of almost 150,000 people.

"As the only local commercial airline offering inter-Mindanao flights, we at SEAIR feel that we have been a factor in the growth of commerce in the region. Our future focus is to develop tourism and international routes out of Zamboanga and Davao," said Zapanta.

For its Cebu-Pagadian route, SEAIR uses its 32-seater Dornier 328 aircraft -- the latest in a long line of technologically innovative aircraft manufactured by Germany-based Dornier.

The Dornier 328 is one of the fastest and most advanced jetprop in the world.

Aside from local expansion, SEAIR is positioning itself to enter the international market after its appointment as one of the official carriers for the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia, Philippines East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) region.

kiretoce

September 20th, 2007, 11:12 PM

Bohol lures tourists (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/enterprise/view_article.php?article_id=89679)

Bohol plans to further develop five nature-based sites to attract more tourists in the province, a tourism official said.

According to Provincial Tourism Council (PTC) chairperson Peter Dejaresco, they already identified “five product sites” located in different towns.

These are the mangrove plantation in Candijay, an oyster farm in Buenavista, the Rajah Sikatuna Park and the Magsaysay Camp in Bilar and Loboc River.

“It's about time Bohol wakes up and realizes that there is a great tourist boom,” said Dejaresco.

Department of Tourism data show that in 2005, more than 35,000 foreign tourists visited Bohol.

Early this month, the Small and Medium Enterprise Development for Sustainable Employment Program (Smedsep), a joint project of the German Technical Coordination and the Department of Trade and Industry Central Visayas, identified Bohol as an ecotourism destination.

PTC's plan to develop more nature-based sites came in response to a suggestion from international tourism consultant Gottfried Hilzward.

Hilzward said Bohol has to improve, if not, develop its nature sites since these are the province's strengths.

Hilzward was in Cebu as the head tourism consultant for the Smedsep project.

“At present, all these (nature sites) are not in place. Beach resorts do not give the competitive edge,” Hilzward told Cebu Daily News.

Based on survey interviews by Hilzward, Bohol can offer more attractive ecotourism packages based on strong tourist growth.

“Bohol has all the means and resources to let tourists experience the best of nature,” he said.

Hilzward cited marketing, product quality and diversity, and distribution as crucial factors which the province needs to address to draw more tourists.

“You need to provide more information on nature sites and create business opportunities for tour operators,” he advised tourism officials.

Aside from Bohol, the neighboring province of Siquijor is also a potential ecotourism destination, he said.

Hilzward said accessibility is “the biggest problem of tourism growth,” especially the need for air transport.

He also said that an active tourism association is needed for the province so that Siquijor's reputation of being a “mystical island” can be packaged well.

Unless these crucial factors are addressed, market demand will be low, he said.

Like Bohol, Hilzward said Siquijor can also develop into a topnotch ecotourism destination with the active involvement of all stakeholders. These include the tourism council, the business community, the government and residents.

Under the same project, Cebu will be marketed as the region's health and wellness destination while Negros Oriental will be developed as the educational tourism hub in Central Visayas.

Rence

September 21st, 2007, 07:23 AM

From the Youth Trip website:
www.youthtrip.org

A Little Piece of History

http://www.youthtrip.org/archives/images/oldest%20philippine%20stamp.jpg
The Postal History Walking Tour was an afternoon of big words and old stories. Organized by the Filipinas Stamp Collectors Club (FSCC), it was a small trip in history guided by black and white images and anecdotes. Not to mention, the auction at the end of the tour felt like a time warp.
http://www.youthtrip.org/archives/images/Post%20Office%20Building_eric%20isaac.jpg
Eric Isaac picture:

The tour begins in Liwasang Bonifacio, continues to nearby areas representing significant parts of our postal history, and ends in the compound of the *Manila Central Post Office (MCPO).

This time, for a twist, we will not talk about the tour (not now) but on what happened after.

At the auction, we saw 1898 Spanish–Philippines stamps, an original German (Eagle) Swastika cap, and ancient coins, among others. One of us got a 1953 Pepsi Philippines Ad and a pre-WW2 photo of Intramuros.

That’s where the word and world of Philately welcomed us.

Here come the big words…

At the auction, we met bibliophiles (book collectors), coin collectors and numismatics (those who study currency), antiquaries (antique experts/collectors), and stamp collectors , toy collectors and philatelists.

Philately is the study of postage stamps. It comes from the Greek words Philos (friends) and Atelei (to be exempt from charge). It is usually equated to the art and science of stamp collecting. To many, Philately lets you learn about a country’s history, culture, passions, nature, and industries. All that with a small piece of paper.

In 1767, the Philippines established its postal service – the first in all of Asia. We even became a leading center in 1838. We also issued Asia’s very first stamp in 1854 – that of the profile of Queen Isabella of Spain (depicted in the first photo).

In the 1930s, our country also issued the FIRST set of basketball stamps in the world. Now that says so much about us.

Philatelic stamps come in different forms: Mint, Cancelled, Setenant, Souvenir Sheets, and Sheetlets (imagine that!). As with most collectibles, stamps with errors or variants are valued pretty high. With an eagle eye, one collector pointed out to us stamps that had butterflies with only one antenna. A design mistake that resulted to an increase in [its] value.

More importantly, stamps tell stories: paintings and painters, celebrities and events, architectural treasures, rare flora, and endemic fauna. Hometowns, initiatives, and even pets are immortalized in small sheets of paper that travel around the world. Wish you were here never resounded so well when you send postcards paired with wonderfully illustrated tourism or nature stamps.

Stamps also share in the adventure– yours and the letter’s. Sometimes they arrive; sometimes not.

Stamps and stories

One of the best parts of collecting stamps is the story on how you got hold of them. One YTRiP volunteer began stamp-collecting when his grandmother gave him a set of old and used stamps at age thirteen.

http://www.youthtrip.org/archives/images/Philippine-Owl-Stamp.jpg

My interest arose when I saw the Philippine Lighthouses series and the variant 2004 World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Philippine Owl stamps. It turns out that WWF only prints stamps every seven years. It was an object of pride and joy as much as an investment. On the other hand, the commemorative stamps for the first Philippine Expedition to Mount Everest have been (unfortunately for us) sold out.
At the end of the day, our guide, Lawrence gave us old stamps as souvenirs; I got three Manuel Quezon stamps from the early 20th century, purposely on Quezon Day.**

In a nation supposedly plagued with selective historical amnesia, it is not a wonder how very few actually engage in such a hobby (a.k.a. passion) - yet there is still so much to know about us, so much to learn about our history. Just an afternoon of meeting new people and seeing old collectibles could give you a freshly informed take on even the most common of things.

Now that e-mail is a much-preferred form of communication, there is no telling what the future holds for postal service. With letters and postcards though, there is always something more. The weathered look when they arrive in your mailbox, the stamps all marked and dated, the handwritten notes – they tell a far better kind of story, a little piece of history that something new technology could not match.

------

Text by Clare Amador | 2007

The Filipinas Stamp Collectors Club holds the walking tour and auction every 3rd Sunday of the month. Interested parties may contact us or email Lawrence Chan (FSCC VP) at l_rence_2003@yahoo.com. Join us on October 21, 2007.

*Interestingly enough, the MCPO building is of neo-classical design, built in 1926 by Filipino Architect Juan de Guzman Arellano. The columns are Ionic (Grecian). Quite apt for a building that houses postal service and philately. It is located in Manila. The Philatelic Library and Museum is just beside it.

**August 19 is Quezon Day; it is also the beginning of the Linggo ng Wika.

Filpex 2005 organized by The Filipinas Stamp Collectors' Club

http://www.cddstamps.com/filpex.htm
So just PM me if you wanted to go to the next month tour!

Lawrence Chan (0919-3906171) E-mail: L_rence_2003@yahoo.com

The tour is free but pre-registration is required!

Ex!lE

September 24th, 2007, 03:30 AM

RP poised to capture bigger slice of Japan travel mart (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=2007092330)
By Rica D. Delfinado
Monday, September 24, 2007

TOKYO, Japan — The Department of Tourism (DOT) is confident the country is well positioned to capture a bigger share of Japan’s travel market with a more focused marketing campaign specially targeted at the growing number of outbound Japanese female travelers.

At a recent travel fair here organized by the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano expressed confidence the Philippines is ready to compete head on with other major travel destinations in Asia with the recent shift in branding campaign focusing on a person’s “wellness from the inside out.”

“The recent focus on health and wellness which features hilot as the traditional Filipino healing method using herbs, oils and natural essences, has added a new and exciting dimension to the already established ‘Premium Resort Islands Philippines‘ brand in Japan,” Durano said.

Japan is considered one of the world’s lucrative travel markets with 17.4 million big-spending outbound travelers. By 2010, the Japanese government expects the number of outbound travelers to hit 20 million. In 2006, 17.53 million Japanese went abroad. For this year alone, the number of outbound Japanese travelers is expected to grow to 17.7 million.

Of this, the country aims to attract one million Japanese tourists over the next three years by focusing on three fast-growing markets: the ladies market, the active seniors and the scuba divers.

Durano said the DOT has shifted its campaign for Japanese tourists to cater to the young, single, female group. “In the past, most of the packages were geared towards the Japanese male, but it was a segment that was declining. That is why we decided to shift our focus to the fastest growing segments which are the Japanese ladies and the scuba divers.”

Based on DOT study, Japanese female travelers visiting the country are more inclined to spend on beauty, wellness and pampering.

With this in mind, Team Japan head Benito C. Bengzon Jr. said the DOT has repositioned its campaign to promote the Philippines as an attractive health and wellness destination for the Japanese market.

“Japan is a mature market. It is also a highly competitive market. But the Philippines has a wide range of products that can be offered to the discriminating taste of travelers, particularly the Japanese tourists,” Bengzon explained.

Tourist arrivals from Japan reached the 400,000 mark for the first time in 2005 and climbed to an all-time high of over 420,000 in 2006. For this year, the government expects the number to hit more than 450,000.

Of total tourist arrivals in the Philippines, which hit 2.8 million in 2006, roughtly 21 percent were Koreans, 18 percent were from North America and 15 percent were from Japan.

kiretoce

September 25th, 2007, 03:36 AM

Volcanoes as attractions are RP’s next pitch for tourism (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=90248)

MANILA, Philippines -- Environment officials plan to turn volcanoes which are rich in biodiversity, such as Mt. Iraya in Batanes, into “eco-tourism zones” that could benefit the local communities.

Officials of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said that aside from their natural features, volcanoes offered other attractions such as endemic flora and fauna to climbers, adventurers and tourists.

“A volcano doesn’t erupt every day. Therefore, we can promote these as tourist attractions. And biodiversity is part of the attraction,” PAWB director Theresa Mundita Lim said at a forum on volcano eco-tourism.

There are 16 volcanoes across the country—active ones, potentially active and inactive—that have been designated as protected areas by the DENR.

Of the protected areas, Iraya, Mayon in Albay, Taal in Batangas, Kanlaon on Negros Island, Matutum in South Cotabato, Bulusan in Sorsogon, Banahaw in Quezon and Hibok-Hibok on Camiguin island are active volcanoes.

Apo in Davao, Isarog in Camarines Sur and Kalatungan in Bukidnon are potentially active, while Kitanglad in Bukidnon, Malindang in Misamis Occidental, Inayawan in Lanao del Norte and two others are inactive.

Endemic flora and fauna thrive in most of these volcanoes like the freshwater snake at Taal, the Waling-Waling orchid on Apo, the hornbill and bleeding heart pigeon on Kanlaon and the cloud rat on Bulusan.

At the forum, Lim admitted there was no government eco-tourism program yet for these volcanoes, but said any “development” would depend on each volcano and its unique topography.

She said that some parts of these protected areas, except for the “strict protection zone,” could be developed into eco-tourism zones, but this would have to be cleared with the management board of each protected area.

“In Taal for example, we were asked about the spa. If it’s near the crater, it lies within a strict protection zone,” she said, referring to the controversial Korean spa project near Taal’s crater that was scuttled following protests by residents.

In her presentation, Perla de los Reyes of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said any developer should consider volcanic hazards before developing any part of a volcano into a tourist spot.

“Make sure that there are no settlements in the permanent danger zone, or in areas identified as prone to volcanic eruptions and its hazards,” she said.

Francois Dominique de Larouziere, scientific director of Vulcania Park, said he would be willing to share the concept behind the museum-cum-leisure park in France with Philippine officials.

De Larouziere, however, said he would not advise Philippine officials to build a replica of the European Park of Volcanism, which cost a whopping 118 million euros, or over P7 billion.

kiretoce

September 28th, 2007, 01:11 AM

Thunderbird investing P1 billion (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=business1_sept27_2007)

Thunderbird Resorts Inc. plans to invest close to P1 billion to transform the former American air base in La Union into a premier tourist destination in the Philippines.

“The total investment we’ve projected after full development is actually about P5 billion. Given an aggressive sales and marketing campaign, we can say that we can expect to reach that figure in five years,” said Fernando Santico, head consultant of Thunderbird Resorts’ property development group.

Thunderbird Resorts is publicly traded in the Canadian stock exchange and has operations in Central and Latin Americas and Europe.

The company is bringing in its global capabilities into the country by developing a 65-hectare leisure and entertainment complex in the Poro Point Special Economic and Freeport Zone in San Fernando, La Union.

The La Union project is the company’s second in the Philippines. Its flagship project, Thunderbird Resorts-Rizal, opened two years ago in Binangonan.

“We are really bullish about Poro Point and Northern Luzon, which is why Thunderbird Resorts is going full speed with its investments here,” said Santico. He added the company had so far generated more than 400 jobs in Poro Point, bringing its total workforce in the Philippines to over a thousand people.

The company said it expects the number to grow to over 2,000 in the next two years, with additional 200 to 250 employees manning Thunderbird Resort’s hotel and golf operations at Poro Point by year-end.

The Philippines, the company’s first market in Asia, will serve as Thunderbird’s platform for regional development.

Santico said he was confident the facilities at Poro Point would put La Union in the world map of major tourist and recreation destinations.

The Poro Point development incorporates architectural themes influenced by the Santorini Islands of Greece, with a total of 36 rooms to be initially made available to guests for a proposed rack rate of $180 per room per night.

Ten rooms are premium 45-square meter vacation ownership units. The company plans to extend the hotel room inventory to as many as 300 rooms in the long term.

The Poro project includes a nine-hole, all-weather golf course overlooking the South China Sea. Managed by the world-renowned International Management Group, the golf course is being primed for an opening in December as visitor magnet to the Ilocos region, especially domestic visitors and those coming from neighboring Korea and Taiwan. Thunderbird plans to expand the golf course to an 18-hole in the near future.

Ex!lE

September 29th, 2007, 05:11 AM

More investments in tourism sought (http://www.mb.com.ph/BSNS20070929104286.html)

BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT

DAVAO CITY — Travel and tour operators are pushing for more tourism investments in Mindanao saying the region remains largely untapped despite its strong potential as a tourist destination in the country.

Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) president Jose Clemente III at the association’s general membership meeting in Davao said that meeting was purposely held here to underscore the need to promote Mindanao as an alternative tourist destination.

But Clemente stressed that more tourism investments must go hand in hand with its promotional efforts of repackaging the image of Mindanao as a safe place for tourists.

"The perception in general is that it is a place of conflict. We are holding our GMM here in Davao in support of the region. With support from the national government and some investments from the private sector, this region can become the country’s primary tourist destination," Clemente said.

According to Clemente, the PTAA has the network to push for more tourism in Mindanao.

"Our membership is expected to reach an all time high this year and we want to see some progress in the development of new corridors to decongest traffic in the usual tourist destinations," Clemente said.

Clemente cited Davao City, one of the largest cities in the world, as a model in Mindanao’s progress after having been cited twice by the Asian Institute of Management as the most competitive city in the country.

The PTAA is the leading partner of the government in attracting investors to develop tourism related infrastructure in key areas nationwide.

Established in 1979, the PTAA is the official Philippine representative to the ASEAN Tourism Association, Federation of ASEAN Travel Agencies, and the Universal Federation of Travel Agencies Association.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry has adopted a tourism advocacy saying tourism is the country’s sunshine industry.

PCCI president Samie Lim, the organization’s champion for tourism at PCCI, also reported that $ 4.5 billion out of the $ 5 billion targeted investments in the tourism and tourism sector under PCCI advocacy have been poured in by tourism investors.

"We are now on the third year of our five-year plan and $ 4.5 billion have been poured in the tourism sector," he said.

The PCCI advocacy program also targeted 5 million tourist arrivals at the end of the program in 2010. The $ 5 billion investments are expected to generate 5 million jobs.

"Everything depends on setting a goal, without it there is nothing that can be achieved," he said.

Lim has coined Five A’s in the tourism advocacy program of the PCCI, which when addressed could bring in the desired results. The Five A’s are access, accommodation, arrivals, attractions and accommodations.

Babydamulag

September 30th, 2007, 11:43 AM

We are building a SCUBA diving resort in the Municipality of Culasi, Antique, Panay, Phils. This is an important first step to develop tourism in Antique. We are proud to announce this effort and we are very excited about working with the Municipality of Culasi. Check out our website at www.panayexplorers.com
We are also looking for qualified chefs, restaurant and hotel staff, experienced boat handlers, groundskeepers, and vehicle drivers. For more information contact us at information@panayexplorers.com.

DIVE CULASI!
__________________

amigo32

September 30th, 2007, 01:17 PM

Babydamulag

September 30th, 2007, 04:09 PM

no free diving lessons for us?:lol:

We will provide fair prices to all. If you make employee referrals then we might work out something.:nuts:

Ex!lE

October 1st, 2007, 03:11 AM

DOT to launch new campaign on sustainable ecotourism (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Nation&p=49&type=2&sec=28&aid=2007093064)

Monday, October 1, 2007

DONSOL, Sorsogon – A new campaign on sustainable ecotourism is set to be launched here by the Department of Tourism (DOT) on Thursday in a bid to expand this industry nationwide by providing stakeholders with access to capital, stills, values and other enabling mechanisms.

Slated at the Vitton Resort in this town, the launch of the advocacy campaign dubbed “Turismo Mismo!” seeks to propagate the “culture of excellence” and the “value of tourism” among the industry’s various sectors through intensified sustainability and destination management programs, according to Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano.

“This is a Nature + Nurture campaign that strives to make our tourism products and services at par with global standards while preserving nature and protecting the environment,” Durano said.

Durano will be the guest of honor and keynote speaker at the launch, which will be graced by local government officials led by Sorsogon Gov. Sally Lee and Donsol Mayor Jerome Alcantara.

Also at the launch are Reynulfo Juan, Region 5 executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and regional directors Maria Ong-Ravanilla of the DOT, Leah Pagao of trade and industry, Ricardo Casin of interior and local governments, Lucita Madarang of the Maritime Industry Authority, and Eduardo de Leon of the Philippine Information Agency.

Durano will also award Turismo Mismo certificates to Bernacer’s Handicrafts, Firefly Watching and River Cruise Services, Tinanogan Mangrove Planters and Fisherfolk Association, and Butanding Boat Operators Association, all recipients of financial grants under the DOT’s Grassroot Entrepreneurs for Ecotourism (GREET) program.

Turismo Mismo expands the GREET program, which provides P50,000 to P100,000 worth of grants for any viable tourism-oriented livelihood that guarantees environment protection and sustainable use of the country’s potential ecotourism sites, according to project manager Susan del Mundo.

dinabaw

October 1st, 2007, 03:49 PM

RP losing out to Vietnam, Cambodia in luring tourists

By Ayen Infante

10/01/2007

Travel agents wanted the government to seriously focus on the development of the country’s tourism industry to keep in step with emerging favorites Vietnam and Cambodia.

This was one of the issues raised by the members of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) in a press conference held in Davao City over the weekend.

PTAA president Jojo Clemente said neighboring countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia were used to be competing behind the Philippines in attracting tourists, but because of problems that the government missed to address, the country is missing significantly in terms of potential revenues. In the case of Davao which, he said, three times the size of Metro Manila, could hardly attract foreign visitors resulting to an estimated losses of half-a-million tourists annually or equivalent to $350 million in potential sales revenue.

Clemente said aside from the Mindanao stigma that Davao bears, it obviously lack the support coming from the government.

The Department of Tourism, for example, could not even provide figures as to how many estimated tourists went to the city in 2006 or percentage contribution to the overall number of tourists arrival in the country.

Apart from this, Clemente reiterated the industry’s position in liberating the skies to foreign carriers. “Because of restrictions in open skies, a lot of carriers have left in the Philippines in the last three to four years.”

He further recommend the possibility to advocate a mechanism to allow foreign carriers to fly in the Philippines. “We should not be strict on bilateral agreements.”

Another problem, he added, is the very high landing costs which include Customs, quarantine and parking that most of the carriers have been complaining. The Philippines has one of the highest rates as compared to other countries in the region.

He also mentioned the Tourism bill which was signed by President Arroyo as one of the priority bills during the 13th Congress. The bill is now pending in the Senate and House.

The bill was allegedly opposed by the Department of Finance due to proposed incentives that could result to revenue loss. “The bill that was signed by the President and objected by her Cabinet.”

http://www.tribune.net.ph/business/20071001bus2.html