As far as the year 2022 is going, both locals and international visitors have finally allowed themselves to indulge in travel and tourism around the Philippines. As one of the sectors hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism industry has gone to great lengths to rise from the depths and showcase the beauty of the country once again. After painstaking work, the Philippines is now more ready than ever to welcome travelers.
The Inquirer Project Rebound gathered experts and authorities on the Philippines’ tourism industry in order to discuss the future of tourism at an online webinar titled “Welcome Travelers: Setting the Stage for Tourism Boom.” Among the distinguished guests are Department of Tourism (DOT) Undersecretary Woodrow Maquiling Jr, Independent Sustainability Consultant Joel Palma, Aboitiz Land’s CEO and President David Rafael, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Chairman Roberto Zozobrado and Tourist Promotions Board (TPB) Deputy COO for Marketing and Promotions Charles Bautista.
The webinar kicked off with a short but significant presentation from Undersecretary Maquiling, who talked about the immensely positive direction Philippine tourism is heading into after they have adapted to the new normal demanded by the pandemic. He thoroughly explains that fear of the virus is one of the biggest obstacles to tourists and workers of the industry alike, which is why removing this fear is key to keeping tourism open and booming. He says that the pandemic has turned to a ‘spendemic’, wherein, now that restrictions are relaxed, people are eager to make up (and spend) for the lost years of travel and leisure. He also mentioned several encouraging factors such as the steady rise of international visitors as well as the success of adjusting tourist attractions according to the new needs of people. Thanks to the success seen by Philippine tourism so far, it has set the stage for very optimistic predictions of the coming years.
After Usec Maquiling, Sustainability Consultant Joel Palma presented about the importance of sustainability as tourism embarks on recovery. He expresses joy at the fact that the DOT works with NGOs to work on sustainability, such as their collaborated ‘sustainable diners’ to reduce food waste. “As Usec has mentioned, [the] local economy, the local tourist is spam priming this [tourism] recovery,” Mr. Palma says. “But we need to look forward and make sure that our operations for tourism facilities are made more sustainable.”
Aboitiz Land’s CEO and President David Rafael came forward with a presentation on how, with the surge in WFH setups, Filipinos now choose to invest in homes outside the metro. He emphasizes on how Aboitiz Land is able to present homes at new progressive cities without compromising comfort and convenience. Through adapting to modern technology as demanded by the pandemic, Rafael says that Vecinos (their term of endearment to homeowners) are able to purchase homes and transact wirelessly and hassle-free. Aboitiz Land has seen great success thanks to its deeply embedded value of agility and innovation. Mr. Rafael says, “Cultivating an innovative mindset, accelerated and propelled. Our continuing digital and organizational transformation. Capitalizing on shifting markets and being in tune with the changing needs and concerns of our customer. These are the key to not only surviving but rebounding from a pandemic.”
Following the talks, the webinar moved to the panel discussion now including Mr. Zozobrado and Mr. Bautista. The discussion covered topics such as the harmonization of travel and tourist requirements in the country, which tourist spots and attractions are the hottest right now and the potential of international conferences being held in the Philippines again.
When asked about which pre-pandemic tourist attraction could possibly make a comeback, the panelists had emphasized that previously underrated forms of tourism have the biggest potential at post-pandemic. Usec Maquiling specifically mentions farm tourism and medical tourism being pivotal to the industry’s recovery, and Mr. Zozobrado agrees. “They want a unique experience,” Mr. Zozobrado says. “Things that used to be just taken for granted. Nobody paid too much attention to it, but now they are looking at it.”
The panelists were also asked what they thought of the Filipinos’ readiness to rediscover tourism. Mr. Bautista says that Filipinos are no longer interested in the usual products of tourism but are more interested in exclusive experiences. Mr. Palma says that he has already seen the apparent boom of tourism twice, as he recalls his experience with fully booked tourist destinations. Mr. Rafael says he agrees with the statement that traveling is sometimes to save one’s sanity and calls it a need, likening it to breathing air.
“What we must do is that we should stop fearing the disease but rather respect it. So, what that means is being able to live with the virus. Being able to really comply with health and safety protocols when we travel. Being more aware with our health and just being advocates of a healthy lifestyle and making sure that when we travel, we travel responsibly.”
— Charles Bautista
Watch the full Tourism webinar here.
This advocacy campaign was made possible through the support of Aboitiz Land, Shell and Okada Manila, and is in partnership with the British Chamber of Commerce Philippines (BCCP), League of Corporate Foundation (LCF), Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA), Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), Philippine Retailers Association (PRA), Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA), Registered Financial Planner Philippines (RFP) and Shareholders’ Association of the Philippines (SharePHIL).
