AFTER Palawan, Bohol, Boracay and Cebu, what’s the next big local leisure destination the Philippines can proudly offer the world?
Our local leisure development sector has been experiencing quite a resurgence as of late, successfully luring an increasing number of foreign tourists and investors—a development that has been keeping various sectors buzzing with life and activity. However, with more and more developers trooping to famed destinations like the ones mentioned above, it’s only a matter of time before the need to reignite the world’s interest to the inherent allure of the Philippines becomes more pronounced than ever.
If there’s one thing we can exploit to our advantage, it’s the fact that our country has more than 7,000 island destinations waiting to be explored. But here’s one thing some of our local developers might find worth considering: while a lot of these unexplored, undeveloped destinations are mostly areas with the highest incidences of poverty and conflict, these regions also offer the richest leisure experiences. This now leads us to pose the question: Are conflict areas the next investment frontier for the Philippines? Are developers starting to become more willing to invest in emerging destinations, rather than earn a play on crowded locations, like Boracay, Bohol and Batangas, for example?
A case study that never fails to amaze
I’ve talked about the thrilling experience our team has spearheaded in Mindanao over the past few years. We’ve worked tirelessly with the respective local governments of Zamboanga City and Koronadal in South Cotabato—areas that are among Mindanao’s most promising real estate and tourism investment destinations, but have also been deprived of the opportunity to fulfill their potential due to the misconceptions associated with the region. Contrary to what most people believe in, Mindanao is a vast region of warm individuals, stunning sceneries and invigorating culture.
It is even tagged as the country’s most important gateway into the Asean integration, which is why any incident that puts Mindanao in a bad light is an injustice to the entire region and to the future of the Philippine economy. By engaging segments of stakeholders form different sectors—business, tourism, academe, advocacy, indigenous community and many others more—we have successfully branded both Zamboanga and Koronadal as key investment areas in Mindanao.
“Conflict areas and emerging destinations would have major attractions just waiting to be tapped. To investors, the opportunity for growth is there as more and more people seek out new places to explore and indulge on unique experiences,” said Jacqy Tan, managing director of Sheridan Resorts in Palawan. “However, as suggested by the terms ‘conflict’ and ‘emerging’—these destinations carry certain risks that investors must weigh in with care.”
As one of Sheridan Resorts’ chief business minds, Tan surely knows what it takes to strengthen the identity and position of an emerging leisure destination. “Way before the world heard of the Puerto Princesa Underground River [declared by Unesco as a World Heritage Site and one of the new Seven Wonders of Nature], we already foresaw Sabang’s potential as the gateway to the famed underground river,” Tan shared. “By introducing Sheridan, we didn’t just build a 5-hectare luxury resort.
Instead, we built the Philippines’s first green resort as our commitment to Palawan’s growth.
“We followed this by operating the largest organic farm in Palawan, the Sheridan Organic Farm, which not only produces up to 80 percent of the resort’s food requirements, but opened its doors to employ household members of families who live nearby the farm,” she added. Aside from this, Sheridan Resorts is also actively engaged in environment sensitive projects, which involves promoting the use of eco-friendly and energy efficient light-emitting diode, as well as recycling of water and installation of vegetated roof tops to reduce the urban heat island effect. “Eventually, our goal is to be able to sustain our operations by independently using a 100-percent solar and wind-turbine power system in the near future,” Tan explained.
Nurturing a ‘diamond in the rough’
Asked how they were able to survive through the rough times, Tan shared that it entailed a certain degree of commitment and determination to be able to triumph against the unfavorable labels associated with risky areas. “First and foremost, one must constantly keep up with the local developments that are happening in the area,” she said. “Check for political and economic stability, and take time to carefully study the long-term potential for growth and opportunities. Another thing developers and investors should be able to accomplish is to work around the given circumstances inherent in emerging destinations. “Embrace the risks that come with destinations that still have lots of work to do,” Tan said. “Find out what is the government’s stance on leisure tourism as a pillar for growth.”
As I’ve mentioned a few times in the past, a key learning in nurturing an investment mind-set toward emerging areas is to recognize the value of accountability. It’s not enough that we have beautiful attractions, an integrated access to these destinations, and an array of engaging activities, amenities and accommodation to entice the market. Developers and businesses alike should fulfill their sworn ideals of becoming stewards of responsible sustainable development by showing a commitment to the land, to the people, and to our culture. The demand for sustainable and environmental products and infrastructure exist; we just have to find a way to repackage everything and commit ourselves to enrich our land.