Execs outline steps to hit tourism targets

Private sector players in the tourism industry expect a vibrant sector in the next two years spurred by the hitting of the different stakeholders target goals for last year.

This year would  only be the start of many more achievements for the industry in the country and in Cebu, Hans Hauri, president of the Hotel Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu, said.

Hauri,  who is also the Tourism Congress vice president for Visayas, said the 10 million tourist arrivals target by 2016 looked astounding to achieve but a quick-check on this year’s Department of Tourism (DOT) data would show that we’re halfway on reaching that goal.

He said yes, it’s achievable referring to this year’s target goal of 4 million to 5 million tourists or a 25 percent increase.

“The internal circumstances are lifting every hope for a positive outlook; let’s look just at a few such indicators, like the government has placed the Philippines in a mood of confidence and can back it up with record growth in GDP, record-levels in foreign exchange,” he said.

Hauri said that when looking at what’s going on ‘behind the scene, the structural elements that  would provide the very basis for 10 million foreign visitors arrival and a 35 million domestic arrivals were not unfounded.

Enabling Factors

He cited some tangible factors for the industry’s growth.

The DOT-campaign ‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’ that created over 100 million Filipinos to Ambassadors of Tourism or Ambassadors of Goodwill is the very campaign that stimulated growth from three to four million foreign arrivals and from 27 to 28.5 million domestic arrivals, said Hauri.

He also cited the implementation of the ew Standards of Classification to a STAR-Rating, approval and the removal of the Common Carrier Tax and Gross Billing Tax for Airline Ticketing, and NAIA 3 Airport opened operations, initially to low cost carriers, progressively also to international carriers.

Other factors include the doubling of the number of flights with the expansion of Cebu Pacific Air, the creation of AirPhil Express and Zest Air, the re-structuring of SEA-Air, Open Skies’ Policy had a stimulating effect on new air-connections both regionally and internationally, new or converted airports for international connections, like Iloilo, Bacolod, Kalibo, Cagayan de Oro, and Puerta Princesa.

He also cited the peace and order situation and Palawan being recognized as the The new Seven Wonders of Nature’ with its Underground River and National Park.

Actions Initiated

Hauri also said that projects like roads, airports, seaports and the complete renovation of NAIA 1 and the completion work at NAIA 3 provided a positive impact in the industry.

New processing equipment for faster checks of passports at ports-of-entry and exits would soon also be installed in the airports which he said would make a big difference in the convenience of travellers in the airport.

He also said that the move to have a standard or uniform curriculum of education in the hospitality industry across all the 10 ASEAN Member-States was also part of the preparation for ‘A Borderless ASEAN’ by 2015, which would also benefit the industry.

Priority Areas

According to Hauri, the stakeholders must however look at the most critical areas to ensure that we could reach the 10 million tourists goal.

These include the quick resolution of the re-classification of airspace from category 2 to category 1, to allow our local carriers to expand their routes into North America and Europe, and the removal of barriers for airlines from these two continents to fly into the Philippines.

Another priority is to find a solution of the current embargo imposed by China  to issue exit visas to its citizens wanting to visit the country.

“Decentralizing Workload from Manila to Cebu and Davao as priority areas to cover the Visayas and Mindanao in areas such as OFW processing and processing of passports. This would free-up congestions in Manila and make space for tourists as it is unimaginable to see Manila with double the numbers in visitors in the near future,” said Hauri.

transport facilities

Hauris also suggested that the government should construct transport facilities between Manila and Clark Airport, which is seen as a second hub for air-traffic to Manila to alleviate congestions and open-up new points for tourist arrivals.

According to Islands Group president Jay Aldeguer, we should also try and look at the numbers and see where we are falling short – promotion, airlines limitation and other issues – so that we can work on them immediately.

The need for a strategic master plan is very important accoridng to Aldeguer as it will provide the direction for the stakeholders and base concrete steps from there.

“Things are not going to fall into place by themselves especially in such a competitive industry. For instance, if China has declared us the Most Romantic Destination, we should be able to capitalize on that right away. Same for Boracay which was declared as a top beach destination. It seems we are finally getting international attention so we should act fast and step up to meet these recognitions,” said Aldeguer.