Northstar

FEATURE: Finding fun in the Philippines Manny Pacquiao, Charice Pampengco and Imelda Marcos. These are just a few famous names that one would think of when it comes to the Philippines. Champion fighter, songbird and unlimited shoes aside, walking on any of its 7,107 islands will make one understand what beach life is all about, thanks to its endless clean shores and untouched nature. According to the Philippines Tourism Research and Statistics Division, a year-onyear increase of 8.73 per cent was recorded in terms of visitor arrivals to the country, over the 11-month period of 2012. A total of 3.8 million visitors were recorded from January to November 2012, with Korea being the country’s largest visitor market, accounting for 24.07 per cent share of the volume, followed by the USA and Japan. Some may argue that the flurry of optimism that has thus far risen through the tourism sector may not be enough to quench a traveller’s thirst. Churning in less than four million tourists last year does not seem like a huge increase but it is a piece of good news to the country whose tourism boost for the past years have been in the region of 2 per cent. This performance needs to move on the incline given how Thailand, in comparison has clocked in some 19 million in tourist arrivals, the same period last year. The trend has to move upwards, to whet the appetite of international travellers who are willing to spend and ready to experience what the Philippines is all about. Visionary luminaries have come and gone, but under its current presidency, the focus has been on defeating corruption which has been rampant when it comes to the political scene in the Philippines. But President Benigno Aquino III, has set his records straight on this agenda. According to the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), the Philippines is predicted to leapfrog its way by 2050, to being the 16th largest economy. The top 20 list also includes China, the United States, India, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, Brazil, Mexico, France, Canada, Italy, Turkey, South Korea, Spain, Russia, Indonesia, Australia, Argentina and Egypt. Undeniably, the Tourism Board has played a major role in pushing for inbound tourists to the country, with its marketing campaign that was launched last year. “It’s more fun in the Philippines”, now runs synonymous to the country’s tourism agendas and offerings, bringing would-be travellers, closer to gaining more information, raising curiosity and fetching lines of adventure-seekers to uncover what’s been tucked away from their destination wish-list for many years. The time for the Philippines to shine in the travel scene, is now, and largely thanks to the head of state for putting his foot down where it’s needed and passing a budget to craft the tourism campaign which, according to Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr., “more than what they had requested for”.

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