THE Department of Tourism (DOT) is looking forward to more tourists and investments in tourism enterprises from the United Kingdom, as the Philippine government made its economic presentations to over 280 business executives in London on Tuesday.
In her report, “Build Build Build and Creating a Culture of Sustainable Tourism,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Fatima Romulo Puyat pointed to the growing importance of the UK market as a source of tourists for the Philippines. From January to July 2018, visitor arrivals from the UK grew a significant 9.4 percent to 121,289 from 110,903 in the same period last year, making them the eighth-largest source of tourists for the country.
She also noted the double-digit increases in various tourism sectors in terms of tourism gross value added (TGVA) in 2017, with food and beverage expanding the most at 37.1 percent, followed by entertainment and recreation at 30.4 percent, shopping at 28.8 percent, transport at 26.5 percent, accommodation at 26.2 percent and trade/reservation agents at 24 percent, among others. Total TGVA in 2017 amounted to $38.3 billion, contributing 12.2 percent to the local economy in terms of gross domestic product, underscoring the tremendous benefits of the economy from the tourism industry.
The sector of Travel Agents/Tour Operators/Tour Guides grew the largest in terms of employment in 2017, expanding by 6.06 percent to 35,000. Although the growth in employment in passenger transport services was only 3.53 percent last year, Romulo Puyat said the sector accounted for the most number of persons employed at close to 2 million.
While the accommodation, food and beverage sector slipped by 0.91 percent last year, it employed 1.74 million, and accounted for the second-highest number of tourism jobs.
In her report, the DOT chief highlighted anew the sustainable tourism advocacy of the Duterte administration, using Boracay Island’s six-month closure for rehabilitation work as an example. In response to a question from a guest at the economic briefing, Romulo Puyat said the island, famous around the world for its long, white beach, will be opened in three phases.
“There will be a soft opening on October 26. So far, 25 establishments with about 2,000 rooms have fully complied with environmental laws,” she said. “President Duterte has said no resorts will be allowed to open if they are not 100-percent compliant [with environmental laws],” she added.
The second phase of Boracay’s reopening will be on July 2019, and the third phase on December 2019, Romulo Puyat added.
The DOT has failed to announce any new accredited resorts for the past three consecutive Fridays, since its initial announcement of compliant resorts on August 31. (See “25 Boracay resorts allowed to reopen on October 26,” in the BusinessMirror, online August 31, 2018.) According to DOT Undersecretary for Tourism Regulation and Coordination and Resource Generation Arturo P. Boncato Jr., “there is no update from partner agencies as of this time,” referring to the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
The Cabinet-level members of Task Force Boracay will be meeting on the island on Friday to finalize guidelines of the reopening on October 26.
Romulo Puyat also met with travel trade and media partners in the UK on Monday evening, according to Boncato, although he did not say what issues were raised during the meeting.
The briefing by the economic managers in London was led by Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, and included Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo, Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade and Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar.