The Department of Tourism (DOT) is projecting an increase in visitor arrivals from France to some 60,000 this year.
This developed as Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo made a “powerful pitch” to participants at the recent IFTM Top Resa, the largest travel fair in France, according to a news statement from the DOT.
Teo impressed on delegates that the Philippines is a safe and fun destination, a claim which many French nationals seem to agree with. Data from the DOT showed visitor arrivals from France grew by 21.7 percent to 55,384 in 2016. In the first six months of 2017, French tourists in the Philippines jumped by almost 25 percent to some 38,900.
“The strong interest and support that we gained from our meetings with the world’s leading tour and travel executives are proof positive that we have accomplished our mission,” the DOT chief said.
This year’s expo boasted of some 1,700 brands and 166 destinations, which included the Philippines, whose booth constantly attracted a large number of inquiries from French tourists and travel agents about local destinations. Over 31,000 delegates were expected to have attended this year’s travel fair, which ran from September 26 to 29 at Porte de Versailles, Paris.
Teo and other DOT officials held marathon meetings with top officials of associations of travel agencies and tour operators, including the Les Enterprises du Voyage as represented by its vice president Richard Soubielle, and the Syndicate of French Tour Operators (Seto), headed by its secretary-general Jurgen Bachmann.
Both French executives acknowledged the spike in French tourists in the Philippines, which they said has become a “trendy destination”, following more aggressive DOT-led marketing programs and collaborations with French travel and trade groups.
“They noted the market’s growing interest in the Philippines, and cited the typical French trip to our country as a mixture of culture, diving, beach and ecotourism destinations,” Teo stressed. “They are also very keen on interacting with local communities,” she added.
DOT Spokesman and Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Frederick M. Alegre told the
BusinessMirror that French tourists usually head to Palawan, Banaue, Cebu, Bohol and Negros. “Siargao is also becoming popular destination for the French,” he said.
Teo, along with DOT Undersecretary for Tourism Development Planning Benito C. Bengzon Jr., also met with producers of two mainstream French TV networks planning to feature adventure and travel in the Philippines on their prime-time shows aired nationwide.
Alegre, however, declined to identify the TV networks, pending the finalization of the project.
Participants from the private sector also had their plates full meeting with their French counterparts. The private-sector delegation included representatives from Ansett Holidays, Alize Voyages and Adventures, Asiaventure Tours and Travel, Baron Travel, Blueberry Sky Travel and Tours Services, Blue Horizons Travel and Tours, Corporate International Travel and Tours, Happy Juanderer Travel, Intas Destination Management, Select Travel Services, Travel Experts, Ten Knots Development Corp. and AHMGI Hotel Luna.
“This is the biggest delegation we ever had in France, giving us more opportunities to tap into this high-value market,” Teo said. “The DOT is, likewise, encouraged by the consistent and growing interest of our local travel trade groups to grow the French market and we look forward to even more strategic and creative partnerships with them, as well as with key communications establishments, in promoting our fun destinations in France,” she added.
The DOT delegation to Top Resa also included Alegre, Assistant Secretary Arlene Mancao, Regional Director Maria Venus Q. Tan and Tourism Attaché Margarita
Patricia Valdes.
Image credits: Photo courtesy D.O.T.
