Tourism concerns
Promoting the Philippines to foreign tourists will not be an easy task if the government does not address the basic concerns bedeviling the country’s tourism sector. No amount of promotional gimmicks can attract droves of tourists here until they feel safe to roam the country.
The government’s attempt to resell the Philippines to the world as a tourist haven through a new advertising campaign will surely not achieve its desired results. The Philippines remains a high-risk country for foreign travelers and lacks the infrastructure support to make the stay of tourists worthwhile.
The Philippines, sadly, is the 11th most dangerous country to visit in the world, according to the 2017 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum. The report, prepared before President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao and the storming of Resorts World Manila by a demented gunman that killed 37 people, ranked the Philippines just above Colombia, Yemen, El Salvador, Pakistan, Nigeria, Venezuela, Egypt, Kenya, Honduras and Ukraine.
The report noted that the country’s tourism and travel sector continued to “develop on the back of the country’s rich natural resources and high price competitiveness, and arrivals have continued to grow so far.”
But the Philippines attained a lower competitiveness performance this year because of a more restrictive visa policy that reduced its openness performance, a decreased budget to develop the sector and lower efficiency of ground transport.
These factors, according to the report, may not have had their full effect yet, and may reduce tourism activity in the future, adding that security concerns remain high. “Although the Philippines’ (tourism and travel) potential remains high, there are several areas where policy interventions could help to regain competitiveness,” it said.
The Philippines’ drawback, thus, is more fundamental and one that cannot be cracked by a costly advertising campaign. The government must secure major tourism destinations first by beefing up police presence to deter crime and violence. Bigger and modern airports and a more efficient transportation system will also help in making Philippine tourism competitive in the world.
