Category: News

Philippine billboards in Sydney

The country's white sandy beaches, blue tropical skies and pristine waters of two popular tourism destinations, Boracay and Palawan, were the focus of the Department of Tourism (DOT) billboard campaign theme to attract nature-lover outbound tourists of Sydney, Australia.

Sex industry throbs with tourism growth

With the recent resurgence of Philippine tourism, Claris, 19, has been getting big tips lately. Working as a sex worker in a poor country, which tries to rediscover tourism as a growth driver of the economy, Claris uses her pretty face and charm to entertain foreign tourists searching for a wonderful experience in the island paradise. She works in a place where paid sex is P2,500 an hour.

More hotels and resorts seek ecozone status

Ortigas CenterMore hotels and resorts are seeking economic zone status from the government, following the declaration of the Korean owned Phil BXT Corp. in Cebu as the country's first tourism project with special economic zone fiscal perks.

Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said EDSA Shangri-La Hotel & Resort, Inc. in Mandaluyong City is applying for incentives for its new 100-room tower, while the Marriot Hotel & Resort in Newport City near the Terminal 3 in Pasay City wanted to become an economic tourism zone.

Other investors applying for economic zone status include Grand Hyatt Hotel and Casino in Manila; Raffles Hotel in Makati City; Radisson Hotel in Cebu of SM Investments; and Seascape Resort Town of Filinvest in Mactan, Cebu.

Airlines invest PhP15.9 billion

Local airlines invested a total of PhP15.9 billion in 2009.  “The airline sector responded to the growth in the tourism sector as Cebu Pacific, Zest Airways and SeaAir have poured investments to acquire new aircraft to cope with the demand for increased air travel,”

 the Department of Tourism (DOT) said.

PATA Travel Mart 2012 in Manila

Manila will host the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart 2012.  The Philippines has successfully won the bid over other strong contenders.  The event is scheduled to take place at the SMX Convention Centre in Pasay City.

Seair Tiger

South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) has partnered with Singaporean low-cost carrier Tiger Airways to lease two Airbus aircraft as well as an online marketing arrangement.  Under the agreement, SEAIR flights will be sold through Tiger Airways’ Internet booking system.  Southeast Asian Airlines also started its flights between Clark and Singapore on 16th December 2010.

Tourism contribution

A comprehensive study by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) found that for the years 2000 to 2010, the tourism sector contributed about 5.8 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP) annually.  Its total contribution in 2010 reached PhP518.5 billion, or 13.0 percent higher than previous year’s PhP459 billion, according to the Philippine Tourism Satellite Accounts (PTSA) compiled by the NSCB in coordination with the Department of Tourism.

Among the tourism industries, shopping had the largest contribution at 20.3 percent, followed by accommodation with 14.8 percent, and entertainment and recreation with 6.8 percent.  Other industries and their corresponding shares include travel agencies (5.6 percent), food and beverage (5.3 percent), transport (3.5 percent), and miscellaneous (0.9 percent).

Terminal fees included in airline tickets

Airlines have agreed to include the international passenger service charge or terminal fees in the cost of airline tickets beginning October 2014.  Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the move would result in reduced queuing time... Read More | Share it now!

Bayhore Resorts ongoing

Travellers International Hotel Group Inc. has broken ground for the US$1.1-billion integrated resort and casino called Bayshore City Resorts World in Paranaque City.   The groundbreaking formally commenced actual construction and development... Read More | Share it now!

Expatriates in the Philippines

More than 65,000 expats or foreign nationals have visited the Bureau of Immigration (BI) since the start of 2011 for their annual report.