“PLEASE follow the law.” That was the simple request of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat to Ctrip cofounder and executive chairman James Liang when the latter paid her a courtesy call recently at her office at the Department of Tourism (DOT) in Makati City.
Based in China, Ctrip is the largest online travel agency in Asia with a user base of 300 million. Chinese tourists are the second largest inbound market for the Philippines, reaching 1.21 million in the eight months to August this year, up 39.16 percent from the same period in 2018. For August 2019 alone, arrivals from China jumped by an overwhelming 60 percent to 170,903, dwarfing its 11-percent growth in August 2018. (See, “8-mo foreign tourist arrivals up 14% to 5.5M,” in the BusinessMirror, October 14, 2019.)
A government source present in the meeting told the BusinessMirror, Romulo Puyat requested Ctrip “to educate our tourists, because in every country there are laws. Maybe you can help us disseminate these laws [to your clients].” The source added, the DOT would share with Ctrip information on the destinations to go, what traditions are interesting, as well as the “do’s and dont’s” in the country. “So from the start, before their clients even arrive in the country, they know already what they can and cannot do here,” the source added.
The same source added, “[the Ctrip representative] understood the Secretary had in mind the recent incident where a Chinese tourist buried her child’s soiled diaper in the sand of Boracay.” A video of the incident surfaced on social media around August 13, quickly going viral and incurring the ire of many Filipinos, many of whom already harbor ill feelings against mainland Chinese tourists because of their perceived rude and careless behavior.
The apparent inability of President Duterte’s administration to work out an amicable code of conduct in the West Philippine Sea in which islands are being claimed both by the Philippines and China has also added to many Filipinos’ antagonism toward many Chinese visitors.
Romulo Puyat and Liang discussed areas for collaboration ranging from destination marketing to strategies for improving customer service and safety for travelers to the Philippines and the wider Southeast Asian region.
During the meeting, Liang outlined the country’s potential as a destination for tourists, as well as its significance as a base for the company’s customer service operations in the region. “The Philippines is a promising destination for both outbound Chinese tourists and for our customers globally,” said the Ctrip chair.
In a news statement, Ctrip said its partnership with the DOT promises to increase exposure for the Philippines as a holiday destination for outbound Chinese tourists. In addition to destination marketing, he emphasized the importance of helping the local market to cater better to the needs of tourists.
“Improvements in customer service, traveler safety and emergency response are certain to give a boost to the Philippines as a destination for tourists worldwide, and Ctrip is glad to assist in these areas. We look forward to working more closely with the Philippines to provide a superior level of service to travelers, and sharing in this unique nation’s prosperity,” said Liang.
As Ctrip expands its global presence, the travel executive said, the company’s efforts in the Philippines are an indication of its upcoming plans for the region. “The Southeast Asian market will be a focus point of ours moving forward, and as an increasingly popular regional tourist hub, we are excited to have the support of the Philippines,” he underscored.
Ctrip.com International Ltd. is a leading travel service provider of accommodation reservation, transportation ticketing, packaged tours and corporate travel management in China. It is the largest online consolidator of accommodations and transportation tickets in China in terms of transaction volume. Since its establishment in 1999, Ctrip has experienced substantial growth and become one of the best-known travel brands in China.
Image credits: CTRIP