Tagged: Destination

Roxas Boulevard is also lined up by de-luxe and standard hotels fronting the Manila Bay, known for its spectacular sunset scenery. View Larger Map Disclaimer: EnjoyPhilippines.com is not responsible for content on external websites. All content... Read More | Share it now!

International visitor arrivals in the Philippines went up by 11.7 percent year-on-year in the first eight months of 2011, led by a substantial increase in guests from Korea, which has solidified its position as the country’s top tourism market. The Department of Tourism reported that some 2.6 million foreign tourists visited the country in the January-August period, up from just 2.33 million visitors a year ago.  Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez said this puts the country on track of achieving 6 million tourists by 2016.

Nueva Valencia, Guimaras – An Italian couple on a two-month holiday in the Philippines chose to include this paradise in their itinerary and stayed at the Raymen Beach Resort in December 2006, unperturbed by news about the oil spill that brought the island province to world attention in August of the same year. "We are just here to see good beaches," said the Boldo couple, who are just among the hundreds of foreign guests who kept coming to Guimaras even in the aftermath of the infamous oil spill. Guimaras has 238.3-kilometer coastline, with long stretches of white, powdery sand considered among the finest in the world.

In search of greener ricefields, many Ifugao farmers have migrated to nearby provinces, leaving large portions of the famous Ifugao Rice Terraces untilled and eroding, former Ifugao Gov. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. said over the weekend.

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.