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Philippines

Despite crisis, Pinoys bring sunny skies to local resorts
Source: Inquirer
Author: Pennie Azarcon-Dela Cruz
Date: 1999-06-18
 
THANKS to the Filipino tourist, local

resorts enjoyed fair weather this

summer despite the overcast skies that

hover over the Asian economy. Instead of the customary trip

abroad, well-heeled Filipinos have opted to spend less money

on local destinations with upscale resorts where they can enjoy

amenities comparable to those abroad.



Accessibility and affordability became key words for many

Filipinos, for whom a vacation means packing off the entire

family for a weekend holiday.



Sales personnel from Club Noah-Isabelle and Club Paradise,

both in northern Palawan, have reported increased occupancy

this summer, as Filipinos and local residents made up for the dip

in bookings from other countries.



''Despite the Asian crisis, Club Paradise posted an increase in

occupancy,'' reveals Carol Valdez, sales manager of the resort.



Valdez noted that most Filipinos chose local destinations for

their family vacations, while companies junked Hong Kong in

favor of top resorts in the country for their incentive trips.



More Filipino visitors



''Filipinos now comprise 64 percent of our market, followed by

the Germans (9 percent) and Hong Kong nationals (7 percent).

The rest of our clientele are from different European countries,''

Valdez adds.



Ito V. Tuason, sales and marketing manager of Club

Noah-Isabelle in Apulit island, northeastern Palawan, observe a

similar trend. Next to the Japanese, Filipinos make up the bulk of

Club Noah's guests, numbering as much as 30 percent last year,

a welcome addition to a market that has been predominantly

European and Asian.



Club Noah, which is 30 percent owned by Japan's Toba

Aquarium, is inspired by the Biblical story as it attempts to

bring ''new life and a fresh vision'' to eco-tourism, Tuason says.



Crisis and the leisure market



Admittedly, Club Noah's marketing man discloses, the

contracting economy has affected the leisure market especially

during the initial years.



''The first to go were the tourists from Japan and Taiwan which

were among the hardest hit by the crisis. Fortunately, since the

resort has dollar rates and the exchange rate almost

doubled--from P26 to P40--our sales figures soared despite our

having less guests.''



But business has improved markedly, he adds.



''I guess after juggling so many problems for some time, people

realize they had to take a break; they had to reward themselves

for all that hard work.''



Filipino tourists, describe both Valdez and Tuason, are

budget-conscious.



''Price is always an issue,'' Tuason says. ''Why are our prices

pegged in dollars? That's only because we want the

tourists--who come from different countries--to understand the

price. Then they ask, why haven't we slashed our prices like

other comparable resorts in Asia did? But then the quality of

our services would suffer. So we give guests value for money

instead and show them where their money is spent.''



Agrees Valdez: ''Filipinos are wise consumers in that they try to

make the most of what they pay for. And they want to get as

much discounts as they can!''



As in most upscale island resorts like El Nido, both Club

Paradise in Dimakya Island, Coron, and Club Noah have an

all-inclusive arrangement which includes airfare, transfers,

buffet meals, accommodations and water activities so the rates

may be prohibitive to the average tourist.



Expensive flights



Unfortunately, adds Tuason, flying to Palawan, especially

northern Palawan is more expensive than other parts of the

country and Asia because there are no commercial flights

available. Planes are often chartered, with Club Noah using

Corporate Air, and Club Paradise leasing Air Ads or Pacific Air.



But, he explains, ''Since we depend on repeat business, it's very

important for us that the guests don't feel shortchanged at the

end of their vacation. If they're happy, they'll come back and tell

their friends all about us.''



As a market, Filipino tourists are fun-loving and physically

active, observed this business management graduate from

Ateneo.



Aside from water activities, the resort has also included

ballroom dancing among its leisure offerings to accommodate a

hefty portion of its market. But no television please. ''The idea of

a vacation is to get away from the usual things we do and try

something different,'' noted Tuason. Family bonding, he

observes, has become the happy result of a TV-free vacation at

the resort, ''especially among the Europeans who often have

reconstituted families--you know, stepmothers, second

families--and little time to get to know each other.''



Among Filipinos, however, close family ties are a basic

consideration.



''That's why we made our family cabanas really spacious--big

enough for five beds--because Filipinos like to bring the entire

family and their friends along.''



Air-conditioning too is a premium among Filipinos, ''as it is

among Asian tourists but not among Europeans,'' Tuason says,

recalling with a laugh how the other resorts joshed them for

winning the Tourism department's Kalakbay Award when they

were still managing the El Nido resort in 1993. ''We didn't even

have air-conditioning in the Miniloc water cottages, they said in

mock disgust. How could we have gotten away with it?''



Filipinos don't plan



Filipinos don't plan for vacations, unlike Europeans who plan a

year ahead and thus get the limited slots during peak season.



Rues Tuason: ''Some Filipinos would grouse, 'you have no place

for us Pinoys but when they're white, you take them in.' That's

not true; it's just that these American or European tourists have

made reservations a year in advance so they get the rooms.''



Unfortunately, he adds, leisure or a regular vacation has yet to

be part of the lifestyle of the average Filipino family.



''We don't really set aside money for an annual holiday perhaps

because we can't afford to. We take grand vacations only when

there's extra cash after all the basics--food, housing,

school--have been accounted for.''
 

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