Tourism promotion gets additional funding
Category: Economy 26 Jun 2014
Written by Lorenz Marasigan, Estrella Torres
THE Department of Tourism (DOT) is spending half-a- million dollars to promote the cruise industry, a move that is seen to increase the number of tourists visiting the country via sea vessels.
Tourism Undersecretary for Tourism Development Danilo G. Corpuz said his agency has earmarked roughly P20 million to develop and promote the cruise industry in the country.
It is seen to increase the number of cruise lines operating in the Philippines. Currently, there are 14 cruise lines operating in the country.
“Half of them are visiting for a day, while another half involves multi-island operations,” Corpuz said, referring to the various cruise operations in the Philippines.
He said the government is offering incentives to the cruise firms to increase the number of operators in the Philippines.
“Incentives include a more streamlined procedure in terms of the immigration system and the improvement of tourism activities in the ports of call that the passengers visit,” Corpuz explained.
The tourism agency, he said, expects to see an eightfold growth in the number of cruise passengers in the next five years.
“Our plan is to increase the current 20,000 annual cruise passengers to 100,000 within five years,” the tourism official said.
But what the agency hopes to achieve is to increase the spending of cruise passengers at the ports where they dock.
“It is the expenditure of these tourists that matter. An average cruise passenger spends something like $50 for every dock. We hope to see an increase in the tourists’ spending,” he said.
To help increase annual tourist arrivals to 10 million by 2016, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released P554.4 million for marketing activities that promote the country’s tourist destinations in the global platforms.
Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad said the fund is aimed at elevating the Philippines as one of the world’s top tourist destinations through marketing and promotional activities of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) of the DOT.
The funds aim to support the efforts of the TPB to showcase the country’s products, landmark destinations and services, and meet the 10 million foreign tourists target by 2016.
“We’re already seeing more foreign tourists flocking to the country, and the local tourism industry is now at its most vibrant,” Abad said.
He said the fund will help broaden the tourism campaign through marketing efforts. The move will not be difficult, he said, as the country is rich in tourist destinations for domestic and foreign travelers.
“Further improving our growing tourism industry will help create more business opportunities and generate more jobs in tourism-oriented communities. This will in turn complement our other efforts in pursuing our bigger goals of economic expansion and inclusive growth,” Abad added.
He said of the P554.4-million fund release, P429.4 million will be charged against the TPB Fund under the Special Account in the General Fund to cover the first-quarter operating requirements of the TPB. The remaining P125 million is part of the promotions board’s regular subsidy and will be utilized for its second-quarter funding needs.
The country’s participation in international trade and consumer fairs and other related exhibitions and events are vital in promoting the country’s tourist destinations.
He said part of the marketing activities include multimedia campaigns to attract more international visitors and local tourists to visit and experience the country.
Lorenz Marasigan, Estrella Torres
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