PHILIPPINE tourism appears to be on the upswing, as foreign nationals go on revenge travel mode.
Many local stakeholders interviewed by the BusinessMirror were surprised at how quickly foreign tourists have responded to the reopening of the country just last February 10.
Latest data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed the arrival of 25,035 tourists in different airports across the country. Of these arrivals, foreign tourists outnumbered balikbayans (homecoming Filipinos) at 13,621, accounting for 54.4 percent of the total, while balikbayans were at 11,414. The data from February 10 to 20, 2022 covered arrivals at the airports in Manila, Cebu, Mactan, and Clark.
Americans led the pack at 5,516; followed by Canadians at 1,366; British 918; Australian 891; South Korean 859; Vietnamese 572; Japanese 459; German 447; and French 208, to name a few.
Cleofe Albiso, managing director of Megaworld Hotels and Resorts said, “We have welcomed more than a hundred foreign guests in the first week since the opening in February 10 from visa-free countries. We expect though that the next couple of months will be a gradual transition as confidence in travel will slowly build up.”
She added, their foreign guests come from the US, Canada, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, and Asian countries.
Brits in Boracay
For his part, Jose C. Clemente III, president of Rajah Tours Philippines said, “I have arrivals already starting in March; the volumes aren’t that much yet—4 pax here, 2 pax there—but it’s better than expected. They’re coming from the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, and Canada. Canada is very robust. Everyday we receive inquiries, mostly FITs (free independent travelers).” (See, “Canadian tourists are first through the PHL’s doors,” in the BusinessMirror, February 10, 2022.)
He said these are “revenge travelers. They just need to get out of their countries and travel to a warm country. So far, we’re the only country in Southeast Asia which is really open to tourists, with no quarantine or tests upon arrival. So it’s a pleasant surprise. I’ve talked with other stakeholders also; they’re also experiencing the same thing. Yesterday I slept at 3 am answering all these calls and emails from foreign buyers and travelers wanting to come here already.”
Over in Boracay Island, restaurateur Nowie Potenciano said he met British tourists just last week, while walking around Station 1 and at D’Mall. “There were two of them, a young man and a woman. They came from England and they said they didn’t have a difficult time getting into the country.”
At Sheraton Manila, general manager Anna Vergara shared that they have an American couple who paid the extra $2,000 to rebook their tickets to Manila, when they found out the Philippines was reopening on February 10. “They were originally scheduled to arrive on February 19 but rescheduled their flight to February 12, as they were afraid arrivals protocols might change again,” she said. The couple are meeting their employees from Baguio and Manila as they have a business enterprise in the country.
Boost expected from global meet
She added, the hotel is looking forward to the World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit this April 20-22, which will be held at the ballroom of the Manila Marriott Hotel. “We’re hoping to get 30-40 percent occupancy [from the delegates],” or about 156 of their total 389 rooms.
Some 600 delegates are expected to arrive for the said summit, which will gather CEOs of the largest and most prominent international travel and tourism companies from airlines, hotels and resorts, travel agencies, tour companies, global distribution system, transportation, and allied enterprises; as well as Tourism Ministers and officials from international organizations, such as the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
Addie Capinding, Director of Sales and Marketing for Hotel Okura also shared her surprise at how quickly foreign tourists have responded to the reopening of the country. “We’ve been monitoring our online reservations and we have bookings from international clients in May and September, the ‘ber months’ and from as far as Switzerland and the Netherlands.” The hotel also has a Japanese business traveler arriving this week.
She added, “It’s surprising because after 2-3 years of travel restrictions, they choose to come here.”