TRAVELING is a part of life. Some travel for pleasure, others for work. We either move around by land, sea or air.
According to the Department of Tourism, earnings gained from tourism activities from January to May this year is about P106.6 billion and recorded a double-digit growth of 13.53 percent, compared to P93.91 billion earnings for the same period last year.
For the month of May, the average daily expenditure (ADE) of a visitor is P5,580.24, showing 21.75- percent increase from the ADE in May 2015.
For the month of May 2016, visitors from Korea is still the top spending market with a total expenditure of P7.5 billion. Visitors from the United States remained to be the second-biggest spending market, with receipts amounting to P3.6 billion. The top 8 spending markets in the Philippines are Japan, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Hongkong, China and India.
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) is the country’s primary port of entry, welcoming 68.42 percent of the total visitors. Cebu welcomes 16.94 percent of travelers, while Kalibo receives 9.38 percent of total arrivals. The Clark International Airport (CIA), together with the other airports, accumulated only 5.26 percent of arrivals. The CIA is truly underutilized.
There is also an increase in the number of visitors coming for cruise tourism, this segment proved to be one of the fastest-growing segment in Philippine tourism, with Puerto Princesa welcoming a significant volume.
The Korean market remains the biggest visitor market of the country, followed by the US, China, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Canada, UK, Singapore and Malaysia.
The Philippines can make itself a tourism capital in Asia Pacific, despite the fact that it ranked No. 74 out of 141 countries. At the top of the list are Spain, France, Germany, the US, the UK, Switzerland, Australia, Italy, Japan and Canada. The Philippines is extensive and varied, and the government must have a high level of commitment to travel and tourism (T&T), which needs impressive transport infrastructure; high degrees of information and communications technology readiness and openness; and outstanding human resources. To stand out, the Philippines needs to value natural and cultural resources, and protect the environment.
The Philippines needs digital connectivity and infrastructure between the most and least advanced communities. It should also restrain rampant environmental degradation. Rapid urbanization and industrialization are significantly impacting air quality and forest and ocean ecosystems.
Australia, Japan, Singapore, China, India and Indonesia are doing well in T&T in the region based on the T&T Competitiveness Index 2015 for Asia Pacific, which is calculated on the basis of data derived from the Executive Opinion Survey and quantitative data from other sources. The survey data is derived from responses to the World Economic Forum’s Executive Opinion Survey. The Philippines must prioritize improvement in safety and security, transport and infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources. Health and hygiene, and ICT readiness also needs immediate attention to attract visitors for business and leisure.
Safety and security covers: business costs of crime and violence; reliability of police services; business costs of terrorism; index of terrorism incidence; homicide rate. Infrastructure focuses: air transport infrastructure; ground and port infrastructure; tourist service infrastructure. Natural and cultural resources: natural resources; cultural resources and business travel. Health and hygiene includes physician density; access to improved sanitation; access to improved drinking water; hospital beds; HIV prevalence; Malaria incidence. ICT readiness incorporates: ICT use for business-to-business transactions; Internet use for business-to-consumer transactions; individuals using the Internet; broadband Internet subscribers; mobile-telephone subscriptions; mobile broadband subscriptions; mobile network coverage; quality of electricity supply.
The country has beautiful sites to offer. Filipinos are hospitable, resourceful and entrepreneurial. Business is booming in Centers of Excellence and Next Wave Cities. Visitors are coming for business, health and leisure. Information technology and business-process management investors and employees are not only looking for a place to work and sleep, but would also need a place where they can rest and entertain their family and friends.