Tagged: News

College graduates in search of jobs

Cherry, a 22-year-old graduate of Mass Communication from a Manila-based university, ended up working at a health club that is actually a high-class brothel in Quezon City. Unable to get a job for which she was qualified, she had dabbled in low-paying jobs to help support her family before finding her way to Quezon Avenue. Her desperation eventually led her to become a sex worker earning as much as P5,000 a night.

Local tourists spend US$19 billion

Filipinos visiting local tourism sites will spend US$19 billion (PhP855 billion) this year, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTT). 

The amount is close to one-third of the planned government budget for next year.

Arrivals in destinations grows to 15 percent

Visitor arrivals to the country's 14 top destinations grew 14 percent to 8.9 million in 2009, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT).  Cebu remained the top destination, attracting a total of 1.61 million foreign and domestic visitors, up by 1.2 percent from a year ago.  Korea remained the top tourist market for Cebu accounting for 29 percent share of total foreign tourists. 

China was the fastest growing market, with a 70 percent increase in arrivals.

Cebu and Camarines Sur were the top two destinations in 2009.  Others in the top five list are Metro Manila, with tourist volume of 1.4 million; Boracay Island with 649,559; and Bohol with 313,317 visitors.

Tourism target

Six million international visitor arrivals by 2016 is now the goal of the Department of Tourism (DOT) under the leadership of Secretary Albert Lim.  “That is our fighting target,” Secretary Lim said in the recently held Philippine economic briefing.

PAL flights

Philippine Airlines (PAL) expects its passenger volume to grow by more than a tenth this year as it aims for uninterrupted operations. “We are looking at 10 to 12 percent growth. The load factor of the flights is expected to improve," said PAL president Jaime B. Bautista.

Mr. Bautista refused to comment on ongoing talks between San Miguel Corp. and PAL majority shareholder Lucio Tan for a takeover deal.

PAL Holdings Inc., operator of PAL, posted PhP3.628 billion in nine-month losses, a reversal from PhP3.236 billion total comprehensive income recorded a year ago.

Upcoming Hotels and Resorts in the Philippines 4

Century eyes Palawan resort. Property developer Century Properties Group is venturing into tourism sector with the launching of an integrated resort development in Palawan, according to a report by Manila Standard Today.

Century Properties chairman Ambassador Jose E.B. Antonio said the company would launch either by the last quarter of the year or the first quarter of 2014 its first tourism-related project.

He said the company has acquired 100 hectares of land in Palawan and is now finalising the masterplan for the property.    The company’s venture into tourism sector is part of its diversification plans.

Biggest resorts in the Philippines

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has recently recognized the top and biggest resorts in the Philippines, based on their revenues and tax payments.   The BIR camed up with the list of the most popular resorts according to their gross... Read More | Share it now!

Hotel Okura Manila

Japanese hotel chain Okura Hotels and Resorts will open its first hotel in the country at the gaming and resort complex Entertainment City in Parañaque City.   Okura Hotels and Resorts has formalised its partnership with Resorts World... Read More | Share it now!

Top Philippine Destinations in 2014

Rought Guides, a leading travel publication, has included the Philippines in its list of Top 10 countries to visit this year. Rough Guides, which was first published in 1992, ranked the Philippines 10th in its “Top 10 countries” list for... Read More | Share it now!