Category: Destinations

The exotic beauty of Palawan remains undefiled. Branded as the country’s last frontier, Palawan is a sanctuary to an amazing variety of exotic flora and fauna that are found nowhere else. With more than a thousand islands and islets, Palawan boasts of white-sand beaches, scenic rock formations, underwater rivers and magnificent caves. Palawan is also home to Tubbataha Reef, the only national marine park that made it to the World Heritage List and whose grandeur is comparable to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia

BORACAY (December 25, 2006) – Most hotels in this resort island reported full occupancy rates during the Christmas holiday, just two weeks after typhoon Seniang, internationally known as Utor, left a trail of destruction on the island and the province of Aklan.

Interest in ecotourism has been on the rise, as tourists from around the world began to appreciate the beauty of nature, which abounds in tropical archipelagos such as the Philippines.

International visitor arrivals to the Philippines rose 1.5 percent year-on-year to a record 3.14 million in 2008 despite the global economic downturn, thanks to the rising interest for ecotourism among Europeans who are drawn to the country's natural wonders.

The Tourism Department said new tourist products in the market such as diving and bird watching provide impetus to stimulate awareness of the country's tourist potentials and bring in high-value visitors, with greater propensity to stay longer and spend more.

Shopping in the Philippines

As a shopping haven, Metro Manila offers almost all kinds of products, from the most fashionable to the rarest items. And they can be found almost anywhere, in the most luxurious department stores as well as in small bargain shops. Depending on the traveler's budget, there is always a place where one can find the best buys. The giant shopping malls, SM, Robinson's, Glorietta, Shangri-la, and Rustan's, carry most of the well-known international labels. They also have stores, which sell the best of Filipino products.
 

The Department of Tourism or DOT has launched kayaking as the latest attraction in the Philippines, to drive more tourists to the country, despite the global economic downturn.  Faced with the challenge of drawing at least 3 million tourists this year, the DOT has promoted new products such as bird watching, adventure tourism, and eco-tourism highlighting the natural wonders of the Philippines.

Arrivals in Cebu went up by 4.34 percent year-on-year to 734,531 in the January-May period, providing impetus for greater public and private sector investments in infrastructure and tourism-related facilities.  Visitors in Cebu accounted for a 20 percent share of the total tourist volume in major destinations in the Philippines.  

Property developer Ayala Land Inc. plans to invest PhP20 billion to redevelop the Ayala Centre by doubling the number of hotel rooms, office and retail space, and residential condominiums in the Makati central business district.

Carabao Island, part of San Jose town south of Romblon, is a 15-minute boat ride from the smaller island of Boracay, and has the same white-sand beaches and pristine waters, according to Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano.