Philippine tourism upbeat despite Taiwan
Tourist arrivals in the Philippines rose 10.6 per cent during the first four months of the year, with officials maintaining the 5.5-million target in the face of travel advisories raised by Taiwan.
The government is “on-track in hitting” its target, Department of Tourism Undersecretary Daniel Corpuz told reporters at the sidelines of a forum in Manila, noting that for April alone arrivals reached about 377,000.
With arrivals continuing to hit new heights, tourism receipts are also expected to concomitantly post healthy figures, especially from South Korean tourists, who remain at the top of the arrival list and continue to post grow rates of 20 per cent. After South Korea, the US, Japan and China make up the other top tourist sources.
“We continue to be optimistic that there’s not much impact to the government’s tourism revenues [from Taiwan sanctions],” Corpuz said.
However, over 9,000 travel cancellations from Taiwan were recorded for May and June as a result of the fallout between the two nations over the death of a seaman in open water.
Estimated losses for Taiwanese tourists to the popular island of Boracay amount to $55.3 million, or $600 per lost Taiwanese traveler, assuming revenue from chartered flights and tours is fully generated there.
Receipts hit $3.8 billion in 2012 compared to 2011 receipts of $2.9 billion, and by 2016, the last year President Benigno Aquino III is in office, the projection is $10 billion. Yet tourism officials said they stand to lose $4.5 million monthly in due to the sanctions.
Noting that some 6,500 seats of chartered flights from Taiwan have been canceled by tour operators there, Corpuz said that the Philippines is taking up a “wait and see attitude” and “hoping that within two months we’ll be able to conduct marketing initiatives in Taiwan again.”
The Philippines is targeting 10 million arrivals by 2016, which will boost the tourism sector enough to create jobs for 18 per cent of the total workforce, and contribute 8 per cent to 9 per cent of GDP, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. told Inside Investor.
Expansion efforts are also continuing apace, the DOT has said, however, it has moved its target of adding 33 new aircraft from 2013 to early 2014, namely to Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and Zest Airways. By 2016, new aircraft purchases will reach 120.
Tourist arrivals in the Philippines rose 10.6 per cent during the first four months of the year, with officials maintaining the 5.5-million target in the face of travel advisories raised by Taiwan. The government is “on-track in hitting” its target, Department of Tourism Undersecretary Daniel Corpuz told reporters at the sidelines of a forum in Manila, noting that for April alone arrivals reached about 377,000. With arrivals continuing to hit new heights, tourism receipts are also expected to concomitantly post healthy figures, especially from South Korean tourists, who remain at the top of the arrival list and continue to post...
Tourist arrivals in the Philippines rose 10.6 per cent during the first four months of the year, with officials maintaining the 5.5-million target in the face of travel advisories raised by Taiwan.
The government is “on-track in hitting” its target, Department of Tourism Undersecretary Daniel Corpuz told reporters at the sidelines of a forum in Manila, noting that for April alone arrivals reached about 377,000.
With arrivals continuing to hit new heights, tourism receipts are also expected to concomitantly post healthy figures, especially from South Korean tourists, who remain at the top of the arrival list and continue to post grow rates of 20 per cent. After South Korea, the US, Japan and China make up the other top tourist sources.
“We continue to be optimistic that there’s not much impact to the government’s tourism revenues [from Taiwan sanctions],” Corpuz said.
However, over 9,000 travel cancellations from Taiwan were recorded for May and June as a result of the fallout between the two nations over the death of a seaman in open water.
Estimated losses for Taiwanese tourists to the popular island of Boracay amount to $55.3 million, or $600 per lost Taiwanese traveler, assuming revenue from chartered flights and tours is fully generated there.
Receipts hit $3.8 billion in 2012 compared to 2011 receipts of $2.9 billion, and by 2016, the last year President Benigno Aquino III is in office, the projection is $10 billion. Yet tourism officials said they stand to lose $4.5 million monthly in due to the sanctions.
Noting that some 6,500 seats of chartered flights from Taiwan have been canceled by tour operators there, Corpuz said that the Philippines is taking up a “wait and see attitude” and “hoping that within two months we’ll be able to conduct marketing initiatives in Taiwan again.”
The Philippines is targeting 10 million arrivals by 2016, which will boost the tourism sector enough to create jobs for 18 per cent of the total workforce, and contribute 8 per cent to 9 per cent of GDP, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. told Inside Investor.
Expansion efforts are also continuing apace, the DOT has said, however, it has moved its target of adding 33 new aircraft from 2013 to early 2014, namely to Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and Zest Airways. By 2016, new aircraft purchases will reach 120.
