www.goodnewspilipinas.com - May 18, 2009

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Alternative tourists flocking to the Philippines

Tourists and “alternative travelers” are continuously flocking to the Philippines despite the worldwide recession and threat of swine flu.

The Department of Tourism cited the growing impact of European and Japanese alternative travel markets who have become discriminating and demanding for historical destinations, cultural and eco-tourism sites.

“We are now seeing a more significant number of high-spending tourists looking for places of raw and rustic charm without the trappings of mass tourism.” the DOT said.

For most of the European and Japanese travellers, the Banaue Rice Terraces stood out as a one-of-a-kind heritage site they haven’t encountered anywhere in the world. The caves, hills, and hanging coffins of Sagada were also cited for their distinctive and idyllic appeal even for seasoned travelers.

The Japanese are looking forward to ‘travel with a twist’ among our more than 7,107 islands,”

DOT Undersecretary Eduardo Jarque, Jr., said the country has managed to build a continuing relationship with Europe’s tourism industry through its participation in major travel missions, aggressive marketing of European-based tourism offices, concessions with local partners and strong presence in foreign media.

He also said “the Philippines’ exposure in Japanese media as an ‘alternative destination’ indeed made a significant difference in intensifying the country’s position as an important historical destination.”

“This is not an overnight success, but rather a long journey of negotiations, promotions, and involvement, complemented with the unyielding support of our partner hotels, resorts, transportation firms, and travel operators,” Jarque said.

The country is likewise a year-round destination, another desirable rarity for Europeans, explained Venus Tan, DOT Director for Western, Central and Eastern Europe.

Dorie Tan, handler of DOT’s Europe promotion team, for her part, said: “They (Europeans) are interested in unique culture so they plan their visits at different times of the year. They want to experience a country’s diversity also through festivals and celebrations.”

“We see an emergence of niche travelers within the Japan market; those who are enticed by the extraordinary. They travel to discover and explore not only sites, but stories of people,” Director Benito Bengzon Jr., Marketing Team head for Japan, said.

Sedat Tatli, director, Division for Asia of Meier’s Weltreisen, pointed out that @a factor that draws tourists to the Philippines is that its easy to hop around the islands because almost everybody speaks English.”

Eric Roufs, travel retailer for Dutch operator Paul Crombag, said “some of my clients will ask me to buy them a ticket to the Philippines then they go on their own to book flights and accommodations to the other islands. Accessible language and transportation allow them to add spontaneity to their holidays.”