The Philippines is a relatively small country yet it is known to have many shopping malls. To many the mall serves as a social outlet away from the heat of the tropics.
As the country tends to become hot and humid especially during the summer months, Filipinos flock to shopping malls to cool themselves down. A lot of people meet up to do some business and networking or spend their hours chatting to while away their time.
In recent years, shopping malls have become more than just places to shop, eat, and watch movies. Filipinos also flock to them to pay utility bills and deal with government bureaucracy. Mall operators have also find new ways to attract more visitors by building call center offices and condominiums beside their malls to make it easy for the employees and tenants to pop in and spend. And then we also have the lifestyle and mixed-use communities where the star of such establishments are – you guess it right—the mall. That’s because everything is provided for within the four corners of the mall—for from market to groceries, from wellness spa to health clinic and sports center, from toys, shoes to apparel, clothes and everything in between. Practically, everything one needs can be found in the mall nowadays.
Major Philippine mall chains are located around the country, such as SM Supermalls, which has 70 malls around the country. Another major mall chain is Ayala Malls, which has 14 shopping malls serving nationwide. The Philippines has also other major mall chains such as Robinsons Malls, which has 50 shopping malls, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, Vista Malls, Walter Mart, Gaisano Malls, Ever Gotesco Malls, Isetann and many more.
The retail industry in the Philippines is an important contributor to the national economy as it accounts for approximately 15 percent of the Philippines’ total Gross National Product (GNP) and 33 percent of the entire services sector. It employs some 5.25 million people, representing 18 percent of the Philippines’ workforce.
Retail tourism is one of the industries severely hit by the Covid-19 outbreak as consumers opt to shop online rather than in malls in the last two months. Filipino consumers have lessened their trips to malls and other areas with high foot traffic due to concerns over the spread of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Malls in Metro Manila alone have already recorded a 20 to 30 percent drop in sales as people refrain from going out. This is according to Alegria Limjoco, chaiperson of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Thus it is just timely that the Department of Tourism (DOT) has spearheaded “The 2020 Philippine Shopping Festival” for the month of March. Limjoco said participating in the month-long shopping festival will allow retailers to recover losses incurred in January and February of this year.
“If we will not do this, people will just stay at home. So we are giving up our margins for them,” said Limjoco, who is also the vice chairperson of the Philippine Franchise Association.
1st PHL SHOPPING FEST KICKS OFF MARCH 1
The first ever shopping festival in the Philippines, the 2020 Philippine Shopping Festival, will run from March 01 to 31, 2020, in Metro Manila, Agusan Del Norte, Antique, Bacolod, Baguio, Bataan, Bicol Region, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Butuan City, Cagayan De Oro, Cagayan Valley, CALABARZON, Camarines Sur, Capiz, Cebu, Davao, Ilocos Norte, Iloilo, Lanao Del Norte, Legazpi City in Albay, Leyte, Misamis Oriental, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Nueva Ecija, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, South Cotabato (General Santos City), and Zambales (Olongapo City).
The DOT said it aims to position the country as a destination where shopping is fun, unique, and affordable. Based on DOT’s Visitor Sample Survey in 2018 shopping is the most common tourist activity in the country at 38 percent.
“It’s not hard to see that elevating the shopping experience will go a long way to enhance the attractiveness of our tourist destinations all over the Philippines, whether it is our big cities or in our beautiful provinces. We’ve recognized this in the National Tourism Development Plan of 2016-2022, where leisure, entertainment and shopping tourism is one of the 10 products we want to further develop in the next few years,” said Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.
Puyat also assured that ‘There’s Fun in Every Find’ for the duration of the shopping fest as the sale features a variety of Philippine-made items/#FunFinds2020 is the official hashtag.
“We invite all tourists to ‘Be Part of the Fun’ by supporting the 2020 Philippine Shopping Sale this March. Buying local helps support our craftsmen and artisans, as well as their communities; more importantly, it helps preserve our culture, traditions, and Filipino way of life,” she added.
During the shopping fest, foreign and local tourists alike can expect 15 percent up to 70 percent discounts on many exciting Philippine-made products, including food and dining, jewelry and fashion, crafts, furniture, and decor, and beauty and wellness products, enabling shopping an integral part of visitors’ itineraries.
Travelers can also look for affordable airfares and cheaper hotel accommodations for the promotion period as airlines including Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, Air Asia, Air Carriers Association of the Philippines will be slashing off airfare tickets to spur domestic tourism.
Interested consumers can revel on the shopping sale through participating malls such as Araneta Group, Ayala Land Malls, Inc., Duty Free Philippine Corporation, Filinvest Land Inc., Greenfield Development Corporation, Vista Malls, Megaworld Corporation, Oritgas Land, Power Plant Mall, Robinsons Land Corporation, Rustan Commercial Corporation, Shangri-La Plaza Corporation, SM Supermalls, and Stores Specialists, Inc.
Associations supporting the event are the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association, Philippine Franchise Association, Philippine Owners Association Inc., Philippine Retailers Association, Philippine Tour Operators Association, Philippine Travel Agencies Association, and Tourism Congress of the Philippines.
“This ambitious project, designed to increase tourism expenditure in the country, would not have been possible without the full support and cooperation of the nation’s mall operators, retailers, franchise holders, hotel and tour operators, and travel agencies,” added Puyat.
Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte reiterated the government’s support in Philippine tourism. Tourism Secretary Puyat confirmed that the president will be going around the major islands in the country including, but not limited to Boracay, Bohol, and Cebu to show tourists and locals alike that it is safe to travel around the Philippines.
Secretary Puyat also said that the 2020 Philippine Shopping Sale may become a yearly and anticipated feature on the nation’s event calendar.
In 2019, an investment forum affirmed that “Shopping Is More Fun In the Philippines” and attracts more retailers and tourists.
The Philippines, which broke tourist arrival records with 8.26 million in 2019, has moved to spur more domestic tourism.
Three of the Philippine Shopping Festival venues, Baguio, Iloilo, and Negros, were awarded the ASEAN Clean Tourist City badge in 2020.