Strategy needed to boost RP tourism

With Thailand registering more than seven million

international tourist-arrivals last year, the

Philippines cannot be too far behind in doubling its

feat - 2.2 million during the period - if the

government and private sectors can get their act

together and adopt a concentrated approach.

Former Nueva Ecija Rep. Renato V. Diaz recently

proposed to Tourism Secretary Gemma Cruz-Araneta to

focus the department’s meager budget on marketing,

select anchor destinations; seek government and private

sectors’ collaboration in upgrading infrastructures,

particularly airports; and head a multisectoral summit to

thresh out the ills that beset the industry.

Araneta and House Tourism Committee chairperson, Rep.

Rosenda Ann M. Ocampo, were both guests at a Tourism

and Transportation Summit in June last year. Both agree

with Diaz that more than the alleged protectionist

aviation policy of the government, lack of infrastructure

and budget; limited number of hotel rooms and

uncompetitive rates; and easy access to destinations are

major problems that confront tourism, an industry

capable of earning for the country a minimum of US$4

billion if target arrivals are met.

“Most of the foreign investor groups I’ve hosted liked the

places I’ve shown them but they often asked where the

nearest national roads and airports are,” Araneta

disclosed, adding that difficult access to major

destinations like Boracay and Palawan made the

department package tours as “adventure tours.”

While most tourists’ concern is comfort and competitive

rates, the forum panelists also lamented that prices are

comparatively high and there are only about 12,000

accredited hotel rooms nationwide, versus the 70,000 of

Thailand in its capital city of Bangkok alone. “It made me

literally cry over how our brochures are presented in most

tourist markets abroad. They (brochures) are only

photocopies,” Ocampo added.

The forum, which failed to discuss peace and order and

political factors, also tackled the issue on air seats

available to the Philippines, stressing that 98 percent of

arrivals are via air travel.

Seeking increased air seats – 6.3 million and 5.3 million in

1998 and 1999, respectively, through which 4.4 million

international arrivals were generated for the periods –

Araneta and Ocampo batted for a progressive air

liberalization by allowing more landing rights to more

foreign airliners.

“During the summit last year, Cebu and Davao are

clamoring for opening-up their skies to foreign airlines,”

the Tourism secretary noted.

However, since former President Ramos signed Executive

Order 219 in 1995 or the law that liberalized Philippine

skies, former Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), officials

granted 66 foreign airlines rights to land direct to Cebu

and Davao but only five, so far, are interested to

intermittently use the facilities due to low passenger load

factor.

Airline industry records showed that CAB then also

allowed 87 foreign carriers to serve the cities of Cagayan

de Oro, Zamboanga and General Santos until now, but

not one ever used its right because of the same

economic reasons.

Air Transportation Office records further revealed that 25

percent of treaty obligations of foreign airlines in the

Philippines have not been met as most of these carriers

focused only on the profitable Manila market, to the

advantage of the country’s national flag carriers. Foreign

governments, for example, have not been allowing

Philippine Airlines to serve outbound Cebu international

passengers as these were reserved through the unutilized

landing rights.

“To declog Metro Manila, government should seriously

consider using the Clark-Subic corridor as another

strategic tourist destination for leisure, adventure and

business. These sites are served by airports, particularly

Clark, which has a runway far better and longer than

Manila,” Diaz proposed.

He explained that the envisioned multi-sectoral tourism

summit could launch a short-term, concerted marketing

effort and offer the best facilities and services.