Tourism industry expects to exceed target this year

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine tourism industry is looking at exceeding its target for 2009, based on the uptrend of tourists arrivals in the last eight months, despite several negative factors that threatened the industry’s growth for the year.

Tourism secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano said in an interview that from expecting a zero to only two percent growth for this year, the Philippines may hit at least six percent growth towards the end of this year or even higher.

“If the trend in the first six months would continue, and the economy of our major markets indeed wills recovery, we should see good growth figures for this year,” Durano said.

From January to June this year, the country’s foreign tourists’ arrivals hit a surprising six percent growth, compared to the same period in 2008. In the first quarter of 2009, foreign visitors’ arrival registered at 1.633 million.

“We were expecting zero to two percent growth for this year, and even thought we will contract,” he said.

Durano said the country suffered from a dip in arrivals since last year as the global economic slowdown affected its major markets like Korea, Japan, the United States and Europe.

However, that emerging markets like China are somehow filling the slack. The department had earlier aimed at hitting the 5-million mark in foreign-tourist arrivals by 2010.

In 2008 the country first breached the 3-million mark with less than 2-percent growth.

Moreover, he said that it is good to note that the country registered a total eight million consolidated arrivals in the country’s top 15 destinations. This is a 16 percent improvement from last year.

Domestic tourism also increased by 20 percent, mostly based on the monitoring in the top destinations in the country.

DOT figure showed that Cebu is the second most visited tourist destination with 830,599 visitors, claiming 23 percent share of total arrivals.

Cebu continues to be the top destination for foreign tourists with 321,116 in the first semester.

The expansion in air access from major tourist markets, including the new charter flights from Incheon, Busan, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Kaohsiung as well as increase in room supply, aggressive promotion, public and private sector partnership to diversify the tourism products greatly contributed to the hike in visitor volume to Cebu.

Other destinations in the country aside from Cebu, that helped pulled up the tourism arrivals both foreign and domestic, include; Camarines Sur, Boracay, Baguio, Davao, Puerto Galera, Bohol, Negro Occidental, Negros Oriental, Ilocos Norte, Masbate, Camarines Norte, Puerto Princesa, Legaspi, Catanduanes, and Sorsogon.

Source: The Freeman Cebu

Thriving tourism spurs new business prospects

CEBU, Philippines - The thriving tourism industry in the country and in Cebu in particular, has not only benefited a lot of sectors but has also given birth to new business prospects, one of which is the “Albert’s House with Car” business.

Cebuano entrepreneur Alberto Francisco came up with a new kind of accommodation service that provides homey comfort to guests at the same time providing them with their own transportation service while in the city.

Francisco started the business four months ago and has since then enjoyed a positive response from clients.

He said that the idea came about as he thought that while some big hotels provide their guests with a shuttle service, small hotels where budget conscious travelers often stay do not offer transportation service, which would often prompt guests to take the taxi or public utility vehicles in going around the city.

Francisco said renting a place at the same time spending so much on transportation could be such a burden for visitors, thus the birth of his business.

For P4,800, the package already includes the rental of a two-bedroom unit house plus a car and a driver. This is good for four people, plus a P500 charge for every additional head.

Also available is the three-bedroom unit house that can accommodate a maximum of six persons at a rate of only P5,600 per day.

He said that this is much more cheaper than paying for hotel accommodations and also putting aside money for taxi fares which is far more expensive considering the flag down rate of P30 compared to the available car which the customer would just have to pay P10 for every kilometer. A Toyota Avanza is used for all the packages.

The houses are fully furnished with appliances like television, refrigerator, air conditioning units, rice cooker, among others.

He said that the tourists would only need to buy their own grocery if they wish to dine in rather than dine out which again could help them save more.

The houses are found inside high-end subdivisions like Corona del Mar in Talisay City, Nicol’s Park in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City and even in Grand Europa in Cagayan de Oro City. This, according to Francisco ensures the safety of the things of their clients while they are out touring.

Francisco said that his business has been picking up since he started and he is optimistic of more tourists to avail of the service in the coming months.

Aside from Cebu City , Cagayan and even Davao City, Francisco said that he will soon expand in Camiguin Island , Camotes, Palawan and the rest of the provinces.

Source: The Freeman Cebu

RP needs 3-5 years to convert to all IT base service

CEBU, Philippines - While other countries are already operating through an all IT service, it would still take three to five years for the Philippines to fully embrace an all IT base service, which is the foundation in establishing a Barring of Outgoing International Calls (BOIC) network, said Ramon Isberto, public affairs group head of Smart Communications.

Isberto said it would still take a longer time for the Philippines since it is a new kind of system and it still needs to be studied. BOIC is a cellular supplementary service, that when invoked sets flags in the network databases to stop a subscriber making international calls.

“In the case of the Philippines , it will take a little longer and more work to do when it comes to facilities and familiarity of the whole thing.”

According to Isberto, through an all IT network, low costs would be possible and more services would be offered.

But he said that the conversion would not be easy and the procedures would need to be thoroughly experienced in order to have a smooth operation.

“We just don’t change the network, we need to learn how to run it and it will take a little bit longer and more work to do when it comes to the facilities,” he added.

However, he said that both the cable and the wireless services are moving toward this but said that there would be a gradual process in the conversion to an all IT base service. He said that the question is not on the government’s support for the conversion but on the training that needs to be gone through for the new service.

He said though that they could definitely offer more services with an all IT base service which helps them do such with lower costs.

This would help them strengthen their revenue streams as well as come up with new ones. He said that there are some pilot areas with IT places where they are testing this already.

“We need to make investments but we need to see that the investments are supported by revenues,” he added.

Source: The Freeman Cebu