By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo / Special to the BusinessMirror
THE Department of Tourism (DOT) is firming up a new strategy to attract more cruise ships to key Philippine destinations, anchored on better port facilities, faster entry-exit measures, and an improved marketing program.
This developed as the DOT said there will be 105 port calls in 2017, carrying an estimated 117,000 passengers. In a text message to the BusinessMirror, DOT Director for Public Affairs and Advocacy Czarina Zara-Loyola said, “The big increase in port calls is attributed to the 15-week cruise call of Star Cruises’ Superstar Virgo to Manila and Laoag from March 19 to May 29, 2017.”
In 2016 there were 72 cruise ships that made port calls in the country, with an estimated 72,350 passengers. This was higher than the 52 port calls made in 2015, with ships that carried some 66,000 passengers.
Separately, in a news statement, Tourism Undersecretary for Tourism Development Planning Benito C. Bengzon Jr. said the 72 port calls in the country last year was relatively small compared to the top Asian ports of Singapore, with 374 port calls in 2014; Jeju Island in South Korea, with 217; and Hong Kong, with 200.
“As a key element of our strategy, we are determined to build new dedicated cruise facilities, most especially in Manila,” stressed Bengzon, who also heads the Cruise Development Committee for the Philippines. “A superior cruise port and terminal in the capital, with its extensive airlift and ground facilities, will create a compelling reason for large ships to spend time in the Philippines. Once here, they can achieve outstanding port density with efficient cruising speeds.”
He added, “Future growth in cruise tourism is guaranteed with strong support from the government and the private sector, a highly professional and experienced network of port agents and tour operators, plus growing awareness from major cruise lines of all the Philippine archipelago has to offer.”
Under the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) for 2016-2022, the DOT aims to increase port calls in the country to 402 with 456,164 passengers by 2022. The target markets for cruise passengers are China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Australia.
The DOT recently concluded a four-day workshop, which brought together key personnel from government infrastructure agencies, to lay down the various aspects of the cruise-tourism strategy for the country.
Cruise tourism is one of the nine product portfolios identified in the NTDP, a road map of products, programs and strategies aimed at increasing international tourist arrivals to 12 million, and domestic travelers to 89.2 million by 2022.
The other products are nature-based tourism; cultural; health, wellness and retirement; sun and beach; MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions); leisure and entertainment; diving and marine sports; and education tourism.
The cruise-tourism strategy identified the “Turquoise Triangle”, which links the popular tourist destinations of Manila, Boracay in Aklan, and Puerto Princesa in Palawan; and the “North Triangle” (Currimao/Salomague-Cagayan-Batanes) as major destinations for cruise ships.
The NTDP also calls for the improvement of ports in Romblon, Coron, El Nido, Bohol, Leyte and Iloilo, and the upgrade of ferry services between Cebu and Bohol, Batangas-Mindoro and Misamis Oriental-Camiguin.
In a previous interview, Bengzon said a turnaround cruise ship carrying 2,000 passengers will be able to generate tourism receipts of some $1.2 million.
“What we want is for cruise passengers from long-haul destinations to fly into Manila, board the ship here, sail in Southeast Asian waters and fly out in another destinations if it’s an open jaw itinerary,” he added.
For her part, Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo emphasized: “Once completed, the cruise strategy will pave the way for definitive actions and investments into infrastructure, facilities and services. Clearly, our job is to set up the enabling environment for businesses to thrive. These include enhancement of ship access through the development of port and shore-side infrastructure, facilitation of business entry and offering exciting tour packages, among others. Only then can we draw in the much-needed foreign direct investments to pump-prime the industry. We must surge ahead to build this multimillion-dollar travel sector and disperse the economic benefits to the countryside.”
The draft strategy was presented by CHART Management Consulting, which was commissioned by the United States Agency for Development and the DOT. The consultants will be undertaking extensive field work, interviews, analysis and direction. This jumpstarts the series of consultative workshops aimed at formulating action plans to implement the strategy.
Image credits: Goetzphilippinen | Dreamstime.com, DOT