WHAT COVID TOOK AWAY
Filipinos took 110 million domestic trips in 2019, the central statistics agency reported, as the tourism sector brought together buyers and sellers at the ongoing Philippine Travel Exchange (Phitex). Reopening the pandemic-ravaged sector, one of the country’s brightest spots pre-covid, banks on the domestic market.
FILIPINOS took a mind-boggling 109.7 million domestic trips in 2019, up 11.26 percent from 2018, or an average 25-percent increase from 2010, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
This was revealed by lawyer Guiller R. Asido, administrator of the Intramuros Administration, and chairman of the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) Task Force on Product and Market Development, during his presentation on reopening the Philippines, before buyers and sellers at the ongoing Philippine Travel Exchange (Phitex) in Panglao, Bohol. These domestic trips, he added, resulted in some “P3.1 trillion in tourism receipts,” up 10.4 percent from 2018—a major reason the DOT is focusing on domestic tourism to help jumpstart the economy.
“We are not saying we should not focus anymore on international tourism. But the current situation demands that we go back to the basic, we go back to the strength of the tourism industry in the country,” he stressed.
In drawing up a domestic tourism strategy, the DOT is using a “bottom-up” and “participatory approach” in identifying tourism products, action plans, and protocols with local government units and private stakeholders.
Because of the extended lockdowns due to Covid-19, domestic tourists are more keen on “visiting public spaces,” once they start traveling. As such, Asido said, of the 10 tourism products identified under the National Tourism Development Plan 2016-2022, the agency will be focusing on “developing product standards for nature-based tourism; health and wellness, and retirement; diving and marine sports tourism; farm tourism; education, sun and beach tourism; and culture tourism.”
Based on recommendations by its regional directors, the DOT is looking at developing regional tourism circuits, with identified product hubs or strengths of each province that can be promoted to domestic tourists. For instance, in the Visayas tourism circuit, which groups Western, Central and Eastern Visayas, among the suggested tourism products are Boracay in Aklan (sun and beach); Santa Monica Church in Capiz (culture); Miag-ao Church in Iloilo (faith and culture); Negros Island (culture); Cebu and Bohol (festivals, sun and beach, diving); and Samar (culinary adventure).
The other regional tourism circuits include Metro Manila; North Luzon (Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and CAR); Central Luzon; Southern Luzon (Calabarzon, Bicol, Mimaropa); and Mindanao (Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, Caraga).
Asido stressed, though, that these tourism circuits and products are not yet final, and will still be “vetted” with the private
stakeholders and tourism suppliers.
The DOT is targeting to activate the inter-province and inter-regional circuits, as well as recalibration of existing tourism products for the new normal from the fourth quarter of 2020 until the second quarter of 2021, said Asido. It will complete the development of new sustainable tourism products by the fourth quarter this year, along with the activation of a safety campaign, and the domestic tourism campaign. Finally, the agency is targeting to implement a regional branding program between the first and second quarters of 2021.
The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) formally opened Phitex on September 23 on Panglao Island, in a hybrid virtual-physical mode. In her opening remarks, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said, “This year’s Phitex hybrid edition, with a virtual component, also demonstrates our capacity for adaptability and creativity in support of tourism recovery initiatives.” TPB is the DOT’S marketing arm.
Only 50 participants were on site at the Bellevue Resort, said TPB Chief Operating Officer Ma. Anthonette Velasco-allones, with the rest of the international buyers from 34 countries meeting with Philippine sellers online. The event closed on September 25, with post-tours around the island for participants.