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Recovering tourism industry exceeds target, draws over 5.5 million visitors in 2023

Virgin Island in Panglao, Bohol is a popular destination among local and foreign tourists. (LEO UDTOHAN)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ tourism industry has been recovering faster than expected since taking a hit during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said on Tuesday.

In its year-end report, the DOT said that the country welcomed over 5.4 million tourists in 2023.

“A total of 5,450,557 international visitors entered the country from January 1 to December 31, 2023,” the DOT said.

It added that among the 5.4 million visitors, 91.8 percent (5,003,475) were foreigners, while 8.20 percent (447,082) were overseas Filipinos.

Target exceeded

This figure is around 650,000 more than the DOT’s projected 4.8 million international visitors for 2023.

In 2022, the Philippines welcomed around two million visitors, 73 percent of the, foreigners.

In early December last year, the DOT announced that it had breached the five million mark for foreign tourist arrivals.

“Annyeonghaseyo”

Its yearend report added that South Koreans accounted for 26.41 percent of the total foreign visitors, making them the Philippines’ largest market for international visitors.

Second on the list are Americans (16.57 percent) followed by the Japanese (5.61 percent), Australians (4.89 percent) and Chinese (4.84 percent).

Further, the DOT said that the country’s international tourism receipts have surged to an estimated P482.54 billion in 2023 – about 124.87 percent higher than the estimated P214.58 billion in 2022. 

“In 2019, or the pre-pandemic period, the DOT recorded P482.15 billion in international tourism receipts,” it added.

“By 2024, the DOT is targeting a baseline target of 7.7 million international visitor arrivals,” the DOT stated in its yearend report.

Resilient tourism industry

Citing the country’s multiple tourism awards in 2023, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco lauded the tourism industry’s resilience amid setbacks in previous years.

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“The indomitable spirit of the Filipino has been globally acclaimed with the Philippines receiving the Global Tourism Resilience Award with our country seen as a benchmark for innovation amidst trials and challenges,” Frasco said in the same report.

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PH tourism faces infra challenges —DOT chief

The Philippine tourism industry faces infrastructure challenges, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said on Thursday.

Frasco made the observation amid the department's conduct of the Philippine Experience Program in Region 12 or SOCCSKSARGEN (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos), a caravan that highlights emerging tourist destinations’ local tradition, culture, heritage, on top of natural resources such as beaches and mountains.

“The challenges that the Philippine tourism industry faces is not only on the aspect of promotion but on the basic developmental pillars of tourism, first of which is infrastructure,” Frasco said in a Bagong Pilipinas interview.

“That is why the President’s priority is to construct tourism roads all over the country,” she added.

The Tourism chief said that the Marcos administration has allocated P5 billion for the construction of new tourism roads and P10 billion for continuing roads for 2023 alone.  She added that over 158 kilometers of tourism roads have been constructed since Marcos, Jr. assumed office on June 30, 2022.

“Those [efforts] include us touching base with the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Transportation department in terms of the addition of critical bridges throughout the country,” she said.

On top of roads, Frasco said the government is also working on improvements of airports and seaports, as well as aggressively pursuing public-private partnerships in doing so such as the looming San Miguel Corporation takeover of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). 

Frasco, however, said that the upgrading does not stop at NAIA.

“We are also very pleased to note that the improvement in our airports all over the country are forthcoming especially in Mindanao, specifically Laguindingan which is the access to Cagayan and Bukidnon; and for Bohol, which give accessibility to our well-renowned UNESCO geopark, the Chocolate Hills. We are also looking forward to the further expansion of the Palawan Airport in Puerto Princesa,” Frasco said.

“And we’re eager to see the commencement of construction of our new cruise ports all over the Philippines under the auspices of the Philippine Ports Authority. And since the country is surrounded by water, the other challenge is connectivity. That is why we’re working very closely with the Department of Transportation for an increased number of direct flights to the Philippines,” Frasco added.

Frasco said that in 2023, the Philippines posted P482 billion worth of international visitor receipts.

“We are undergoing this era of transformation for Philippine tourism so we can expand livelihood and employment opportunities for our people,” she added. —LDF, GMA Integrated News

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Eager for visitors, the Philippines reopens to international tourists.

The Southeast Asian nation had closed its borders to most visitors for nearly two years.

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By Jason Gutierrez

• Feb. 10, 2022

MANILA — The Philippines reopened to international tourists on Thursday for the first time in almost two years, as it looks to kick-start an economy hit hard by the pandemic and the measures taken to control it.

Tourists from 157 countries that have a no-visa arrangement with the Philippines are now welcome, provided they are fully vaccinated and can show a negative coronavirus test, the government said.

The Philippine tourism secretary, Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, said reopening the sector was part of the government’s overall program to revitalize the economy, which has suffered greatly in the health crisis but slightly recovered last year.

“We haven’t had good news for a long time,” she said, adding that she was confident the change would bring back jobs and revenue lost during the pandemic.

Unvaccinated travelers will still need to check into quarantine facilities on arrival, she said, but fully vaccinated Filipino nationals and foreigners would not.

She stressed that nearly all workers in the country’s tourism sector have been vaccinated, and that her department was also helping tourism workers get booster shots.

All hotels in the Philippines have also gone through and completed safety audits, she said.

The Philippines, with a population of 110 million, has recorded an average of about 6,500 new cases a day over the past week, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. That represents a sharp drop from less than a month ago, when the country was recording more than 30,000 cases a day.

The “careful reopening of the economy” came amid strong lobbying from Ms. Romulo-Puyat, who noted that tourism-related industries suffered tremendously from the health-induced slowdown. The Philippines’ economy grew 5.6 percent last year, after a harsh recession in 2020.

The reopening was originally set for December but was delayed when the highly transmissible Omicron variant spread around the world.

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Tourism’s road to recovery

Revenge travel is in full swing three years after COVID-19 struck the Philippines, a momentum that the Department of Tourism (DOT) intends to maintain by dismantling the last of the health and safety protocols imposed on tourism establishments. Earlier this week, DOT issued Memorandum Circular 2023-0002 that lifted more pandemic era regulations to spur the rapid recovery of the critical tourism sector that was crippled by the extended lockdowns and stringent movement restrictions of previous years. Tourism establishments, for one, no longer need to install plastic or acrylic barriers and dividers in designated areas, nor are they required to display signs or visual cues on mandatory protocols. Guests, too, are no longer expected to wear face masks, nor are they required to present proof of full vaccination.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said doing away with these increasingly obsolete requirements “sends the important message that, under the Marcos Jr. administration, our country is open for tourism, and that we are keeping up with global practices on tourism operations that have already opened up worldwide.” Indeed, DOT has made a series of calibrated moves to fully reopen the battered tourism sector, one of President Marcos Jr.’s stated priorities during his first State of the Nation Address.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the tourism sector contributed as much as P1 trillion to the economy in 2021, 9.2 percent more than its P917.2 billion earnings in 2020, when mobility restrictions were at their most stringent. The tourism industry, which covers hotels, food and beverage outlets, travel agencies, tour operators, retail establishments, tour guides, recreation, and transportation also employed 4.9 million in 2021, accounting for roughly 11 percent of total employment in the country. This meant that at least one in every 10 employed Filipinos was in the tourism sector. But the current figures have a long way to go to match DOT’s output in 2019, when it contributed P2.5 trillion to the economy and employed 5.7 million. This explains the rapid loosening of travel restrictions, as the Marcos Jr. administration struggles to attract at least 8.3 million tourists, the number of tourist arrivals in 2019 before the global health emergency hit the country.

To recall, Mr. Marcos signed in October last year Executive Order No. 7 that made the wearing of face masks voluntary throughout the country, except in critical areas such as in health care facilities and all types of public transport, to better compete for tourists against other countries that had long lifted their mask mandates. Since then, other strict requirements such as prior testing and mandatory quarantine had been removed, as was the issuance of safety seal and safe travels stamp to establishments complying with COVID-19 protocols.

But while packed hotels, restaurants, and incoming flights clearly indicate that the sector is fast regaining its pre-COVID vigor, Filipinos should not be lulled into thinking that the pandemic is over. On the contrary, COVID-19 remains a threat, as the Department of Health (DOH) keeps stressing. Reasonable caution should still be exercised lest new and more transmissible strains cause infection numbers to again spin out of control, and justify the reinstatement of painful protocols. Basic and easy-to-follow health and sanitation rules should remain in place to protect ourselves and others from contracting the virus that causes COVID-19 as well as other diseases. These include the thorough washing of hands, wearing a face mask when warranted, and voluntarily isolating one’s self or changing travel plans when symptoms of illness appear. The withholding of information about a traveler’s health status should not be tolerated.

One heartening note amid these precautions is the DOH’s pronouncement that 73.8 million Filipinos or 94.6 percent of the target population are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which helps keep the country’s positivity rate well below the 5 percent deemed manageable by the World Health Organization.

Now that the pandemic restrictions have been lifted, the tourism sector should tackle the previous and recurring problems faced by domestic and international tourists. These include peace and security, which was dampened with the recent killing of a New Zealand tourist by robbers in Makati, and the bad image of our airports due to long queues and incidents of theft by airport personnel themselves. Improving tourism infrastructure to give travelers faster and easier access to our islands must also be given priority by the government.

Putting our house in order and remaining vigilant about the lingering threats of COVID-19 will inspire more confidence among travelers about coming into the country, thus giving the Philippines the best of both worlds: A tourism sector that is robust and fast recovering from the ravages of the pandemic, and a COVID-19 situation kept firmly under control.

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Today’s front page, Saturday, June 8, 2024

The Philippines: A rising tourism destination in a post-Covid world

• Benjamin Layug
• September 4, 2021
• 4 minute read

In the article “Rising Stars in Travel” by travel writer Jared Ranahan of Forbes.com, the well-respected American business and financial news publication, the Philippines was named among seven countries (the others are Ethiopia, Iran, Myanmar, Georgia, Slovenia and Tunisia) that “have potential to become major tourist destinations in a post-Covid world.”

Even as the global tourism industry struggles in the midst of the unprecedented downturn due to the pandemic, many nations around the world are preparing for a boom in international visitors once travel is more feasible. These seven highly underrated countries have the ingredients to become world-class destinations and establish themselves as a prominent regional force for tourism—pristine natural beauty, historic ruins, and fascinating cultural experiences.

The Philippines offers unique experiences for all kinds of tourists looking for a relaxed and laid-back getaway from the hustle and bustle of their everyday lives, from sandy shores to dreamy mountain scapes to awe-inspiring cities steeped in cultural heritage.

Of course, the No. 1 tourist destination in the country is still the 10.32-sq-km resort island of Boracay, famous for its 4-km long, powder-fine white beach, which is lined with a number of world-class resorts and hotels.  Across the island from white beach is Bulabog Beach, a windsurfing and kite boarding mecca.  Awarded as the Best Island in the World by the international travel magazine Travel + Leisure (T+L) in 2012, Boracay was also at the top of the “Best Islands in the World” list published by the international magazine  Condé Nast Traveler. In 2016, Boracay headed the magazine’s list of “Top 10 Destinations To Watch.”

Similarly, Travel + Leisure cited the island province of Palawan as the world’s best island in the 2020 World’s Best Awards, besting 24 (Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, Maui in Hawaii, Bali in Indonesia, Great Barrier Reef Islands in Australia, etc.) others in the world’s islands category with a score of 94.83. Boracay also made it to No. 14 in T+L ’s World Best Island list and was hailed 5th in Asia that same year.

Offering some of the most beautiful white-sand beaches, resorts and scenery such as striking limestone cliffs extending directly from the ocean, here you can also dive in World War II shipwrecks off Coron (a piece of nature and history enveloped in one destination), explore old-growth rain forests and paddle into Puerto Princesa Subterranean  River, one of the world’s longest subterranean rivers, a Unesco World Heritage Site (1999) and a New 7 Wonders of Nature in 2012. Last year, Condé Nast Traveler also cited the Hidden Beach in El Nido as one of the 30 Best Beaches in the World.

Speaking of diving, the Philippines was recognized, for the second time, as the world’s leading dive destination during last year’s 27th World Travel Awards, besting other famous dive destinations such as the Azores Islands, Bora Bora, French Polynesia, Cayman Islands, Fiji, Galapagos Islands, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Maldives and Mexico.  Similarly, Intramuros in Manila, a well preserved example of Spanish colonial architecture, was named as the world’s leading tourist attraction winning, for the first time, against Acropolis in Greece, Burj Khalifa in Dubai, Grand Canyon National Park in the United States, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Taj Mahal in India, among others.

Siargao, in Northern Mindanao, also won as the World’s Leading Island Destination.  The “Surfing Capital of the Philippines,” its Cloud Nine, a dramatic and powerful reef break, was recently dubbed as the Top 8 among the World’s Best Surfing Spots by CNNGo, a travel site of CNN International. It is also home to beautiful white-sand beaches, naturally carved tide pools, mangrove forests, coves, serene lagoons and caves.

Speaking of Spanish colonial architecture, aside from having world-class diving sites, beautiful white-sand beaches and world-class resorts, Cebu and Bohol are also home to many Spanish-era churches, ancestral houses and watchtowers.  Though many Bohol churches were destroyed or heavily damaged during the October 15, 2013 earthquake, almost all have been rebuilt and faithfully restored.  When in Bohol, a visit to the Chocolate Hills, a National Geological Monument proposed for inclusion in the Unesco World Heritage List, is a must.

Way up north in Luzon is Vigan, a Unesco World Heritage Site.  The best preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town and one of a few left in the country whose old structures have remained mostly intact, its main draw are its sett pavements, Earthquake Baroque  church and stone houses ( bahay na bato ) which fuse native Philippine and Oriental building design and construction.  In May 2015, Vigan was officially recognized as one of the New 7 Wonder s Cities (together with Beirut, Doha, Durban, Havana, Kuala Lumpur and La Paz).

Also up north in Luzon is where you will find the spectacular mountain scenery of Cordillera Administrative Region, home to the spectacular Ifugao Rice Terraces, a Unesco World Heritage Site inscribed in 1995; the 2,922-m (9,640 ft) Mount Pulag (the highest peak in Luzon and the third highest in the country), a mountaineers delight; the much-loved, cloud-wreathed and pine-clad Baguio City, the “Summer Capital of the Philippines;” the mighty and swirling Chico River of Kalinga, a white water rafting and kayaking destination; and Banaue and Sagada (home to the “hanging coffins” and Sumaguing Cave), both heaven for adventurers.

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Philippines’ New Tourism Campaign Embraces Love for the Country

Peden Doma Bhutia , Skift

June 29th, 2023 at 11:30 PM EDT

In the face of escalating tourism competition across Southeast Asia, Philippines is diving headfirst into the notion that love is what makes the world go around. The archipelago is wholeheartedly capitalizing on this powerful sentiment to propel its tourism sector to new heights.

Peden Doma Bhutia

The Philippines on Tuesday unveiled its new tourism campaign, “Love the Philippines,” marking a departure from its decade-long slogan, “It’s More Fun in the Philippines.”

The rebranding aims to cater to the evolving needs of post-pandemic tourists by emphasizing authentic and immersive experiences.

The shift in branding also reflects a trend among Southeast Asian countries to stand out in the competitive global tourism market.

Fiji in its latest tourism campaign, “Where Happiness Comes Naturally,” also celebrates local people, natural environments, culture, and authentic experiences.

Tourism Recovery in The Philippines

The Philippines, known for enduring the longest partial lockdown globally , faces a delayed recovery as it strives to regain its tourism momentum. In 2019, the country welcomed 8.3 million foreign visitors, with South Korea leading as the primary source market, followed by China and the U.S.

However, post-Covid, the revival of inbound tourism has been moderate. The country eagerly awaits the return of Chinese travelers while grappling with the challenge of high long-haul air ticket costs.

The tourism industry holds significant economic importance in the Philippines, contributing substantially to its gross domestic product (GDP) and job creation. In 2022, the country welcomed 2.65 million visitors, as the tourism sector contributed $25 billion to the GDP and generated 5.35 million jobs.

Love The Philippines Campaign Reshapes Tourism After 11 Years

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr said the new campaign embodies the love Filipinos have for their country. “What better way to express that love than by directly incorporating it into our tourism campaign.”

The new branding celebrates the country’s people, places, cultures, and cuisines, moving away from a focus solely on fun and adventure, notes Gary Bowerman, director of Check-in Asia, an Asia-focused travel intelligence and research firm.

This approach, he says, aims to appeal to the evolving aspirations of young travelers who seek unique and culturally immersive experiences.

Liz Ortiguera, managing director Asia-Pacific and senior advisor to the CEO of World Travel & Tourism Council, believes the new campaign is a smart move, indicating a shift from a traveler-centric focus to a destination-centric approach.

She cites research, like the Economist Impact report on conscious travel , showing increased interest in sustainable tourism among Asia-Pacific travelers.

The report reveals that Filipino travelers prioritize sustainable travel and aim to positively impact local communities.

Ortiguera sees the campaign as a call to action for all stakeholders to create authentic and sustainable experiences benefiting both travelers and destinations.

Short-Form Video Marketing Vs Tourism Board Campaigns

However, in the age of short-form video marketing, national tourism boards also need to understand the effectiveness of their campaigns.

Jeremy Jauncey, founder and CEO of Beautiful Destinations, emphasizes combining campaigns with short-form video strategies, like the “Love the Philippines” initiative, to engage visually and emotionally stimulated Gen Z travelers.

According to Jauncey, leading tourism boards recognize the importance of social media in destination discovery, where short, vertical videos perform exceptionally well. “By aligning campaigns with social media formats, tourism boards effectively engage and capture attention in the digital realm.”

According to Bowerman campaigns like these serve a dual purpose: catering to the changing preferences of young travelers with authentic experiences and fostering national pride among industry players and the general population.

National tourism boards aim to accentuate local characteristics, promoting citizens as tourism ambassadors and establishing a unique aesthetic that resonates with Asian Gen Z tourists.

“Governments in the region actively promote the idea of citizens becoming tourism ambassadors, actively advocating for their own country. The ultimate goal is to establish a unique aesthetic and cultural platform that resonates with Asian Gen Z tourists,” says Bowerman

More Frequent Campaign Refreshes

The recent launch of a new tourism campaign by the Philippines, after an 11-year hiatus, raises concerns about the effectiveness of such initiatives in an ever-changing travel industry.

Bowerman suggests that more frequent updates to these campaigns may be necessary to keep up with current trends and effectively engage modern travelers.

The previous campaign, “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” launched in 2012 and was successful in leveraging Filipinos’ active social media presence and the popularity of memes.

Ortiguera acknowledges that this slogan has become deeply ingrained in the region’s tourism branding and has been widely recognized and shared by travelers. “The tagline seamlessly integrated into conversations when travelers shared their positive experiences in the country, making it a widely recognized phrase over the years.”

In 2017, an attempt to replace the slogan with “Experience Philippines” faced criticism due to similarities with a South African advertisement.

Recently, the government received backlash for using the tagline “We give the world our best” in an advertisement featuring nurse May Parsons, who administered the world’s first approved and fully tested Covid-19 vaccine. Tourism Secretary Frasco clarified that this was not the new tourism slogan of the Philippines.

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Tags: asia monthly , philippines , social media , southeast asia , tourism boards , tourism campaigns , tourism marketing , travel videos , wttc

Photo credit: Philippines has unveiled its new tourism campaign, "Love the Philippines," after 11 years. Nikki Navio / Flickr Commons

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How Chinese visitors could boost Philippine tourism in pandemic’s wake

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TOURISM DEAL. Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Culture and Tourism Minister Hu Heping sign a deal on bilateral tourism cooperation on January 4, 2023.

Department of Tourism

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine tourism industry still has a long way to go before hitting pre-pandemic levels – but the return of Chinese visitors in the hundreds of thousands may just help us get there faster.

Countries all over the world are already welcoming Chinese visitors back with open arms. Hotels in Singapore have prepared packages for Chinese visitors who will be there to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Meanwhile, a Japanese tour bus firm has similarly readied the revival of its Chinese-language tour.

The Philippines has big plans, too. The Department of Tourism (DOT) warmed up to the Chinese market during the three-day state visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to China. The DOT and its counterpart China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism signed an implementation program on tourism cooperation between China and the Philippines. The deal promotes “bilateral tourism cooperation” between the two countries in an effort to revive an industry waylaid by the pandemic.

Even before the deal, Philippine tourism was already picking up. In a press release on January 2, the DOT said that it logged 2.65 million international visitor arrivals in 2022, well above the department’s target. That, of course, also meant a boost in tourism revenue. That year, travelers brought in P208.96 billion – a more than 2,000% jump from the same period in 2021.

But remember, the pandemic was still very much ravaging the world in 2021, so using figures in that year as a benchmark may paint a deceptively rosy picture. See in this line graph just how far we’ve fallen from our pre-pandemic tourism levels.

To be clear, it was not just Philippine tourism that took a beating during the pandemic. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), tourism suffered its worst crisis in history at the peak of COVID-19 in 2020, with international arrivals dropping by 74% . Since then, global tourism has speedily recovered up to 65% of its pre-pandemic levels.

However, the number of arrivals in Asia and the Pacific has lagged, according to UNWTO. This is where the crucial role of China comes in. China, among the biggest tourist markets for countries in the region, kept its borders mostly shuttered.

But that was all set to change when in late 2022, China made a surprise U-turn on its strict zero-COVID policy. Already, Asian countries are preparing for an influx of Chinese tourists. Among them is the Philippines, which has consistently counted China among its top 3 tourist markets. (READ: Asia’s tourist hotspots prepare for boom as China relaxes COVID-19 rules )

Before understanding why international arrivals from China are so integral to our tourism industry, we first need to take a deeper look at the people who came to the country in 2022.

Philippine tourism in 2022

Since the Philippines reopened its borders to travelers on February 15, 2022, it welcomed visitors from nearly every country. Here’s a map visualizing all Philippine-bound international arrivals in 2022, with data coming from the DOT’s monitoring of arrivals from February to December 2022.

In the map below, international arrivals are grouped by nationality, with their respective origin region shaded to represent the number of visitors coming from their area. Hover over the map to see specific numbers.

Returning overseas Filipinos comprised the majority of international arrivals in 2022, with 628,445 making the journey home. The rest of the 2.02 million arrivals consisted of foreign tourists, with American and South Korean visitors accounting for almost half of all tourist arrivals. 

Here’s the breakdown of the country’s top 10 tourist markets:

• United States – 505,089
• South Korea – 428,014 
• Australia – 137,974 
• Canada – 121,413
• United Kingdom – 101,034 
• Japan – 99,557
• Singapore – 53,448 
• India – 51,542
• Malaysia – 46,805
• China – 39,627

Comparing the top 10 tourist markets in 2022 to pre-pandemic years, what immediately sticks out is the massive drop in international arrivals from China. China, along with the US and South Korea, has traditionally been among the top three foreign tourist markets in the Philippines. 

And while tourists from the US and South Korea have already started trickling back into the country, the number of international arrivals from China has been limited, dropping to 10th place.

So what happened to Chinese tourists?

Take a look at how the country's top tourist markets have changed from 2010 to 2022, and keep an eye on how international arrivals from China have steadily grown – only to crash following the pandemic.

Recovery has been slow in large part due to President Xi Jinping's strict zero-COVID policy, which has restricted the movement of people and production in factories. For instance, in the first half of 2022, China began hard lockdowns in Shanghai.

Bankers and traders in the bustling city's financial districts slept in offices and lived off instant noodles to keep the country's financial markets turning. Snap lockdowns of buildings, routine mass PCR testing, and mandatory quarantines kept Chinese citizens on their toes for most of the year.

This extended to travel restrictions outside the country as well. China required returning travelers to have seven days of centralized quarantine along with three days of self-isolation. Travelers also had to go through a combination of PCR and antigen tests, on top of also securing a "health code" from the local embassy. This has all worked to discourage Chinese citizens from traveling at all, except for the most pressing of business – never mind for mere sightseeing.

Recently, this has begun to change as President Xi committed to a full reopening of his country’s borders. Quarantine requirements for returning travelers were removed while China also resumed issuing passports and travel visas for mainland residents. (READ: China reopens borders in final farewell to zero-COVID )

What can we expect?

The Philippines is banking on cash-rich Chinese visitors to bolster its tourism industry. And it seems that in the case of Boracay – with its glittering sand – China is eager to oblige. The Chinese ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xillian already met with Aklan officials and business groups on January 9, just as Boracay prepares to welcome back its biggest tourist market.

“We talked about the possibility of the return of Chinese tourists soon. We are happy about his visit,” Malay Mayor Floribar Bautista said in a phone interview with Rappler. 

Pre-pandemic, Chinese tourists had dominated arrivals in Boracay. Nearly 150,000 Chinese visitors came to the island in 2018, with the number of tourists growing by only 46% the following year.

“There used to be 20-plus direct flights from China per week and almost 400,000 tourists yearly to Boracay before the pandemic. China is opening up again for international travel, and anticipates more Chinese outbound tourists later this year,” said the ambassador.

Chinese ambassador’s Boracay visit hints at return of biggest tourist market

The DOT has also laid the groundwork for a wider revival of warm tourism ties with the Implementation Program signed during the President's recent state visit.

“This implementation program with China will generate massive employment opportunities and investments across all sectors of tourism throughout the Philippines," Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said in a statement.

The deal broadly gives assurances that the two countries will mutually support development of their hotels, resorts, cruise, port, tourism products, and competency standards. Joint workshops and training sessions for cruise and port development, lake development, tourism security measures, tourism market and industry research are also in the works.

"Our governments will work together on increasing tourist arrivals, resuming and adding direct flights to key and emerging destinations, joint promotional activities, and inviting tourism investments in infrastructure, among others,” Frasco emphasized.

Both countries are also expected to support the other's travel fairs and tourism expeditions, with a renewed awareness about environmental protection and sustainable development.

“Among the salient points of this Implementation Program is to advocate the best practices and knowledge in sustainable tourism which includes the promotion of eco-friendly products and services," the tourism chief said, adding that both governments would also encourage investments in tourism infrastructure.

What about COVID-19?

However, China's recent COVID-19 surge threatens to hurt tourism before it even begins its recovery. Japan, South Korea, the US, and Canada have all increased restrictions on arrivals from China, such as requiring pre-departure or arrival COVID-19 tests and limiting flights.

For many tourist hot spots, the choice has become a delicate balancing act between economic recovery and pandemic safety. Chinese tourists represented the world’s largest outbound travel market in 2019. In the same year, Chinese tourists contributed $2.33 billion of the $9.31 billion in Philippine tourism revenue. Setting stricter quarantine measures could mean losing out on billions in revenue, should tourists be dismayed.

That in mind, countries have made varied adjustments to their health protocols. For instance, Thailand has been quick to remove vaccination requirements for inbound travelers ahead of an expected rush of Chinese tourists. Australia and Germany have also said they would not impose additional requirements for Chinese travel. The US, on the other hand, has required COVID-19 tests on travelers from China.

Currently, travelers arriving in the Philippines are only required to present a negative COVID-19 test if they are partially vaccinated or unvaccinated. Despite reporting on January 4 that eight unvaccinated Filipinos from China tested positive for COVID-19, the Department of Health does not yet see the need to tighten travel restrictions on arrivals from China.

Why PH not keen on tightening borders for China travelers

Nevertheless, Frasco was optimistic that the reopening of the country and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions would allow the tourism industry to further recover in 2023. She added that the DOT is aiming for 4.8 million international arrivals as its baseline target for 2023.

“In the recent past, we have overcome a global pandemic, survived various calamities, and thrived throughout a host of many other challenges, yet, the Philippine tourism industry has managed to exceed expectations and our tourism partners and frontliners continue to offer the best of Filipino grace and hospitality to the world,” said the tourism chief in a New Year’s Eve message. – Rappler.com

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Bolstering Philippine tourism as it bounces back

By Chelsey Keith P. Ignacio , Special Features and Content Senior Writer

Travel plans were put on hold amid the border closures and limited mobility prompted by the pandemic. But as restrictions ease and places reopen last year, many travelers are now pumped to get packing. The recovery of tourism, therefore, is taking off. So what lies ahead for the industry this year?

From optimism towards tourism to initiatives to strengthen the industry, tourism leaders and players explored “Further Rebounding the Philippine Tourism Sector” during the BusinessWorld Insights online forum on May 3.

The Philippines has welcomed over 1.8 million international arrivals in the first four months of 2023, according to the Department of Tourism (DoT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco. This already surpassed DoT’s target of 1.7 million for last year, which the country also exceeded with 2.65 international arrivals logged in 2022.

“For 2023, the projections of the DoT are that we would be able to usher in no less than 4.8 million in international arrivals. And we fully anticipate the 100% recovery of domestic tourism this year, meaning no less than 122 million domestic trips,” Ms. Frasco said.

“We are very confident of being able to accomplish our goals and that I consider to be our baseline, not our ceiling,” she added.

Hotels and restaurants are now also serving more people, according to Robert John Horrigan, general manager of Acacia Hotel and vice-president for Hotel Division of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRAP).

“With the HRAP, we’ve seen our occupancies go higher and our average daily rates; in our restaurants, we have more and more diners. So it is here, revenge travel and tourism is back,” he said.

Maria Suzette Geminiano, corporate marketing manager of Hotel Sogo, meanwhile expressed her bullishness over the path ahead for the country’s tourism.

“We still remain optimistic about the future of Philippine tourism. And by implementing the right measures and working together, we can further rebound and emerge as stronger tourism industry,” she said.

Ms. Geminiano also observed three angles in the changed behavior among travelers in the course of the pandemic.

These behaviors included revenge tourism among several people, with their eagerness to have relaxation and recreation driving them to book many travels; fear of the virus, which would push some people to choose a specific location to stay in; and spending more time with families or loved ones, after some people experienced losing someone during the pandemic.

“These three experiences or behaviors will all still drive us to the improvement of our tourism,” Ms. Geminiano said.

Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) President Patria T. Chiong also said they are “very optimistic and enthusiastic” now as they are launching events, travels, and tourism, as well as promoting the Philippines as a tourist destination domestically and internationally.

Ms. Chiong especially promoted other parts of the country among Filipino travelers. “We should not only promote Manila because Manila is already congested to our international travelers, but also promote the other cities,” she said.

“We not only have Manila as a tourist destination, but we also have Cebu, Davao, Siargao, and other destinations in the Philippines. As all of us know, the Philippines is an archipelago and we have more than 7,000 islands and we cater to all types of tourists,” she added.

Ms. Chiong also considered word-of-mouth advertising as the best way to persuade friends and family members to travel to one’s preferred tourist destinations in the country.

Additionally, she highlighted that Filipinos should help each other and promote the country to foreign people abroad.

“That’s what I do every time I go abroad. I inform my foreign friends, ‘Come and visit us and I’ll show you around.’ If all Filipinos could do that — or let’s just say half of us, that is already 55 million — it would be easy to achieve the target of DoT,” she said.

Infrastructure

HRAP’s Mr. Horrigan hoped Philippine tourism’s gross domestic product to reach 20%, similar to its neighboring countries Malaysia and Thailand. For this matter, he said, the key is infrastructure.

“The World Travel and Tourism Council were talking about the Philippines. We have the best beaches, the best people, but they were talking about infrastructure. And so that’s one area that we lacked, meaning international airports,” he shared.

Yet, he said that HRAP is excited about the creation of more international airports, such as the Bulacan International Airport and the Sangley Airport in Cavite.

“A lot of countries have issues with manpower, their beaches are not as nice. We actually have them all. So it’s really infrastructure, which the government is working on right now,” he said.

Key strategies

For the government’s part, connectivity, convenience, and equality are the three key strategies in going about implementing its vision of “establish[ing] a tourism industry that is anchored on Filipino culture, heritage, and identity, which aims to be sustainable, resilient, and competitive in order to transform the Philippines into a tourism powerhouse in Asia,” DoT’s Ms. Frasco said.

Among the government’s initiatives for connectivity is negotiating for more flights not only coming into key destinations but also to lesser-known destinations.

“We have also looked into the maximization of our secondary gateways, looking to expand flights out of our Metro Manila airport into our secondary airports such as Clark, Cebu, Davao International Airport, and the like,” Ms. Frasco said.

And to provide convenience to tourists, the Tourism Secretary said they are setting up tourism information booths throughout the country. The government is also developing a Tourist Life Cycle app and a tourist call center.

Meanwhile, equality meant ensuring that “no destination is left behind in the development of tourism in the country,” said Ms. Frasco. Thus, she said the government is looking into different tourism portfolio, seeking to make the Philippine experience known to the world. This would include festivals, foods, and products of local artisans and makers.

Sustainable tourism

As tourism is expected to get back on track, several destinations in the Philippines would be flocked by Filipino and foreign travelers. But would this affect the environment?

Tourism could cause problems to the environment such as pollution. To ensure that the environment would not be damaged by the surge of tourists in different destinations, the respective local government units (LGUs) have a critical role to play.

“The government has to step in because privately, we cannot control the number of arrivals,” PTAA’s Ms. Chiong said. “The government has to impose restrictions and strict rules to be followed.” And LGUs, she added, should support DoT’s initiatives.

Ms. Frasco of DoT also said that policies on sustainable development serve no purpose if unable to be put in place with LGUs’ cooperation.

Sustainable tourism is “the bedrock of tourism development” under the current administration and is the umbrella of policies established under the National Tourism Development Plan, according to Ms. Frasco.

She also mentioned the proposal for forming a National Sustainable Tourism Council, which would be composed of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and other related government agencies.

“So it’s a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach as far as ensuring that we’re able to institute policies that ensure the longevity of the destination, and to ensure also that we encourage our tourists to leave the destination better than when they found it,” she said.

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Diving in the Philippines: don’t forget Puerto Galera – the diversity of fish and other marine life is breathtaking

• Puerto Galera was among the first spots in the Philippines developed for dive tourism, and places like Coron and Dumaguete have since become more trendy choices
• Yet, from seahorses to turtles, the diverse marine life in this Unesco biosphere left our correspondent, a seasoned scuba diver, awestruck

Camiguin, Dumaguete and Coron may now be the trendy choices for divers heading to the Philippines, but an old favourite, Mindoro island's Puerto Galera, with its clear water and wide biodiversity, still has great appeal.

Mindoro was first mentioned in Chinese annals as Mai in 982AD. Traders from China, India, Sumatra and Java exchanged goods at the port in Muelle Bay, which was naturally sheltered and an ideal spot in which to repair ships.

When Spanish colonists discovered the island in 1570, they named the port Puerto Galera, or "port of galleons".

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge , our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

Natural abundance - from Puerto Galera's mangrove forests to its reefs - led to the area's inscription as the Philippines' first Unesco biosphere reserve, in 1977.

It then became one of the Philippines' first destinations to be developed specifically for dive tourism. Visitor numbers exploded, largely because of its proximity to Manila .

A two-hour minibus ride from the Philippine capital is Batangas, from where I take a 30-minute water taxi to Puerto Galera.

We arrive at the barangay (district) of Sabang - the centre for scuba diving, with resorts and dive shops stacked like mahjong tiles.

The faint tang of petrol taints the sea air along the waterfront and the soundtrack is the unmistakable clank of scuba tanks being loaded onto boats.

The first day is a whirlwind tour of the dive sites close to Sabang: Monkey Beach, Wreck Point, La Laguna.

Each time, I tumble into a menagerie of strange and beautiful creatures: gawping moray eels, distended pufferfish, a blue-spotted stingray part-buried in sand. Yellow-striped Moorish idol fish file along highways of coral; skyscraper barrel sponges loom overhead.

At first, Secret Beach appears to be a featureless expanse. But on the seabed, a host of tiny, macro photography-friendly critters come into focus.

Out of the fronds of anemones crawl anemone shrimp: translucent and spindle-legged, like Murano glass sculptures. Camera-shy seahorses prove more of a challenge, turning their faces away as I lift my lens.

The next morning brings tempestuous weather, so I travel inland to Mangyan Village, where indigenous Iraya-Mangyan people lead tours of their traditional homes and the school, and sell woven products in a crafts centre.

"Mangyan" is an umbrella term for eight indigenous ethnolinguistic groups on Mindoro, of which the Iraya are thought to be the most scattered. Forced out of their coastal lands by Spanish colonists, the Iraya had lived a hand-to-mouth existence in the mountains.

In 1991, billionaire philanthropist Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala - chairman of the Ayala Corporation, the Philippines' oldest conglomerate - bought a plot of land as a permanent home for the Iraya. Zobel oversaw the building of a school, homes and a cultural centre aimed at tourists, which has become a vital source of income for Iraya weavers.

One of them, Airene Pampilo, is pulling strands of nito (a native fern) through a frame made from baging (a type of vine) to make a trivet. The nito strands are dark on one side and light on the other, creating the two-toned look characteristic of Iraya crafts.

Through a deal with the Ayala Corporation, Pampilo's work is sold at a premium at Ayala malls across the country; I buy a set of coasters from her, cutting out the middleman and netting a bargain in the process.

Proper Filipino food is difficult to find in Sabang because of the high number of European- and American-owned resorts, so from Muelle Pier I catch a boat across the bay to Fridays - the Puerto Galera outpost of a Philippine chain which opened its first resort in Boracay in 1982.

Fridays resorts are known for their use of native materials such as bamboo, Capiz windowpane oysters and Mangyan handicrafts - and this traditional approach extends to the food. Although Mindoro lacks native dishes of its own, there is still a distinct northern theme to dinner.

I gorge myself on chicken sisig - a novel take on a Pampangan dish usually made from stir-fried pork - and pinakbet , a mixed-vegetable dish from the Ilocos region laced with pungent shrimp paste.

Over dinner, I find out that the resort has its own dive centre, and consider that a future stay here - in the relative seclusion of Muelle Bay - might be preferable to one in Sabang.

On my final day, I hop on a dive boat for Verde Island, 14km (9 miles) northeast of Puerto Galera.

The Verde Island Passage - which runs between Mindoro and Batangas, with Verde Island at its heart - is one of the world's most biodiverse regions, home to 1,700 fish and 300 coral species. In a 2005 paper, marine scientists Kent Carpenter and Victor Springer called it "the centre of the centre of marine shore fish biodiversity".

I plunge into the wall-dive spot known as The Drop-Off and am immediately enveloped by fish: little lyretail anthias in vermilion, gold and mauve, scattered like confetti over the cliff face.

A closer look at the reef reveals an octopus, a banded sea snake and a venomous scorpionfish doing a worryingly convincing impression of a rock.

The colourful sea slugs known as nudibranchs are a favourite of underwater photographers as they don't move much, and more than 800 varieties have been found in the Verde Island Passage.

Their diversity is staggering - purple striped, yellow spotted or jet black, and covered in lichen-like protrusions. I am training my lens on an attractive, red-horned specimen when I hear muffled shouts from my diving companions behind me.

I look around - and am almost decapitated by a turtle, which swoops over me as I fumble for the shutter button.

I scramble onto the deck, gasping - not from lack of air but from awe. In my 50-plus dives in the Philippines, I have never seen anything like this.

Not at Coron, not at Dumaguete - not at any of the dive sites I have flown to in search of the next big thing, all the while overlooking the true classic that is Puerto Galera.

The writer's tour was provided by the Philippine International Dive Expo.

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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.

Copyright (c) 2024. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Philippines again cited as ‘Muslim-friendly’ tourist destination

• Philippines

Sunday, 02 Jun 2024

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— official Facebook page of Christina Frasco.

MANILA: For the second straight year, a global travel index has recognised the Philippines as an “Emerging Muslim-friendly destination” among non-members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Department of Tourism (DOT) said on Saturday (June 1).

Based on the 2024 results of the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index —an annual report benchmarking destinations in the Muslim travel market — the Philippines managed to develop initiatives such as including halal food and integrating Muslim-friendly amenities at major tourist spots in the country.

Increasing appeal

“Tourism authorities have placed halal tourism high on their priority agenda, evidenced by their action to enhance the halal tourism portfolio and raise awareness among tourism stakeholders about the values and practices important to Muslim travelers,” it said.

According to the DOT, the recognition was announced during the Halal in Travel Global Summit held last Thursday in Singapore.

Global payments company Mastercard said the Philippines recorded an increase in its score in the communications category compared to 2023.

“Among non-OIC destinations, the Philippines has steadily increased its appeal to Muslim tourists by strategically developing their halal tourism portfolio, enhancing halal accreditation of hotels and restaurants, and conducting halal awareness orientations,” it said.

Halal tourism

Following the citation, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco (pic) vowed to further expand halal tourism, which “presents a rapidly growing market segment.”

From the Arabic word “halal,” which means “permissible,” halal tourism is a specialised sector that focuses on the specific preferences and requirements of Muslim travelers.

These faith-based needs include halal food, prayer facilities and recreational spaces with privacy for women.

“By prioritising this, we not only demonstrate our commitment to inclusivity and cultural sensitivity but also open up opportunities to attract more Muslim travellers from around the world, while expanding markets for our tourism stakeholders and creating more livelihood and employment for our fellow Filipinos,” she said.

The summit in Singapore coincided with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to Brunei Darussalam, where Frasco entered into a tourism cooperation deal aimed at further developing halal tourism in the Philippines.

According to the DOT, halal tourism is a priority product under the recently approved National Tourism Development Plan 2023 to 2028.

This is due to the positive outlook for the global halal tourism industry.

Rosy projections

According to CrescentRating, an authority on halal travel, Muslim international arrivals are projected to soar to as much as 230 million by 2028.

Their expenditures are also projected to reach a combined US$225 billion, highlighting the great potential of this sector to contribute to the overall travel industry’s growth.

The DOT as well as private companies in the Philippine hospitality sector recognise this potential growth.

On the sidelines of the recently concluded Arabian Travel Market 2024 in Dubai last month, for instance, the DOT inked a memorandum of understanding with Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, which vowed to make all their properties Muslim-friendly.

Deal with Qatar

Earlier in April, the Philippines also signed a deal with Qatar to boost cooperation in the mutual development and growth of tourism and business events.

“Adapting to the changing needs of Muslim travelers by offering halal-friendly accommodations, dining options, prayer facilities and other services not only enhances the overall visitor experience but also showcases our respect for diverse cultural and religious practices,” Frasco said.

The DOT noted that arrivals from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC Middle East) have more than doubled from prepandemic levels in 2023, reaching 79,041 for a 115.28-percent recovery rate.

United Arab Emirates led the surge of tourist arrivals to the Philippines with 33,769, followed by Saudi Arabia (19,311), Qatar (10,438), Kuwait (6,915), Bahrain (5,886) and Oman (2,695). - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN

Tags / Keywords: Philippines , halal , tourism , Muslim-friendly , global travel index , Christina Frasco

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Philippines police officers arrested for kidnapping 4 tourists, demanding a ransom

Philippine officials say four police officers in the capital region have been arrested for kidnapping for ransom that victimized four foreign tourists

MANILA, Philippines -- Four police officers assigned in the Philippine capital region have been arrested for kidnapping for ransom that victimized four foreign tourists, officials said Wednesday.

Two of the officers onboard motorcycles flagged down a luxury car carrying three Chinese and a Malaysian over the weekend, while their armed civilian cohorts handcuffed and dragged the four tourists into a van. Two of the Chinese managed to escape and notified authorities, police said.

The remaining captives were beaten by the kidnappers but freed overnight after payment of a 2.5-million-peso ($43,100) ransom, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said. Information provided by the freed tourists and images from security cameras led to the arrest of the four police, including a police major, he said.

A security camera footage the police obtained showed the suspected kidnappers, including one who appeared to be in police uniform, stopping a car then forcibly pulling out its passengers in full view of many passing motorists. One of the passengers is seen struggling to break loose as he was shoved into a van.

“I was shocked that policemen were the ones involved,” Abalos said in a news conference, where the four police were presented in handcuffs and orange detainee shirts. “This incident is a serious breach of public trust and core values of the police force.”

Police said they're looking for at least 10 other suspects who were not police but implicated in the kidnapping.

Police said they filed criminal complaints for kidnapping, carjacking and robbery against the suspects.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte had described many members of the national police, numbering more than 230,000 nationwide, as “rotten to the core,” although he ordered them to enforce his anti-drugs crackdown that led to the killings of thousands of mostly poor suspects.

The International Criminal Court has been investigating the large-scale killings as a possible crime against humanity. Duterte and the national police chiefs who served under him had denied authorizing extrajudicial killings athough the former president had publicly threatened drug suspects with death during his presidency, which ended in 2022.

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• Southeast Asian destinations take top ranks in Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index 2024

Southeast Asia has once again emerged as the world’s leading Muslim tourist destination in the latest edition of the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI), with Indonesia and Malaysia tied for the top spot among 145 destinations in the 2024 study. Meanwhile, Singapore has consistently led among Non-Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC 1 ) destinations for the ninth consecutive year, underscoring its unwavering dedication to cater to Muslim travelers by widespread availability of Halal food, prayer facilities, suitable airport amenities, and Muslim-friendly accommodation.

According to the report, the Muslim travel market is set for a significant uptick this year, with global international arrivals potentially reaching up to 168 million, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by as much as 5 percent. This growth in volume highlights the rising prominence of the segment, driven by demographic and economic expansion, cultural and Halal tourism development, and technological advancements that enable more personalized travel experiences for Muslim travelers, such as apps that locate Halal food outlets, Qibla directions, and prayer timings. The impact of artificial intelligence is also helping further customize travel experiences to simplify travel logistics while adhering to faith traditions.

Retaining their joint top position as the leading OIC 2 destinations for Muslim travelers for the 2 nd consecutive year, Indonesia and Malaysia also scored favorably on ease of entry and quality of tourism infrastructure for both Muslim and non-Muslim travelers.

Thailand maintained its position in the top five non-OIC destinations, owing to efforts towards promoting Halal tourism like increasing Halal food availability, integration of Muslim-friendly amenities at tourist spots, and enhanced accommodation and dining options for Muslim travelers.

Meanwhile, the Philippines recorded an increase in its score on communications compared to 2023. Among non-OIC destinations, the Philippines has steadily increased its appeal to Muslim tourists by strategically developing their Halal Tourism portfolio, enhancing halal accreditation of hotels and restaurants, and conducting Halal awareness orientations. This effort builds on their achievement of winning the Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year award in last year’s Halal in Travel Global Summit, based on GMTI 2023 results.

GMTI, now in its ninth year, analyzes data across 145 destinations using the ACES framework, built around metrics on Access, Communication, Environment, and Services. Over time, the criteria have evolved to keep pace with the changing needs of Muslim travelers. This year, new metrics on availability of facilities and services for travelers with disabilities were added to the model.

“It is encouraging to see that the travel sectors in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore not only maintained their rankings in this year's GMTI, but also improved their individual scores. This reflects a broader trend of increased consideration for Muslim travelers, with average scores across the Index rising by 10 percent,” said Fazal Bahardeen, Founder & CEO, CrescentRating. Mr. Bahardeen also added: “It is also positive to see the Philippines continue to improve its score, which demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the Department of Tourism to bolstering Muslim-friendly tourism and advancing the destination's appeal. As Muslim travel continues to gain momentum, the GMTI 2024 report provides invaluable insights for stakeholders across the travel and tourism sector to leverage the growing Muslim travel market.”

Safdar Khan, division president, Southeast Asia, Mastercard, said: “According to the latest report from the Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI) ,  travelers from and to Southeast Asia are becoming increasingly focused on getting the best value from their trips to ensure the most unforgettable experiences, a shift echoed in the rapidly growing global Halal tourism industry. At the same time, technology is helping this demographic to travel in ways that meet their unique needs, from AI-powered hyper-personalized experiences to Mastercard’s own enablement of easy and secure cross-border payments. Together this heralds a new level of convenience for Muslim travelers and unlocks a new era of growth and profitability for travel operators. Mastercard’s long-running collaboration with CrescentRating is both a testament to the strength of the partnership and the ongoing importance of understanding and serving Muslim travelers.”

Download the GMTI 2024 report here: https://www.crescentrating.com/halal-muslim-travel-market-reports.html

1 Non-OIC countries are those that are not members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. These countries may have significant Muslim populations or cater to Muslim travelers but are not officially part of the OIC.

2 The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is an international organization consisting of 57 member states, which are primarily Muslim-majority countries. The OIC aims to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony.

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About CrescentRating

CrescentRating is the leading authority on Halal travel and tourism. The company uses insights, industry intelligence, lifestyle, behavior and research on the needs of the Muslim traveler to deliver authoritative guidance on all aspects of Halal travel to organizations across the globe. Founded in 2008, CrescentRating services are used by every tier of the tourism industry, from government bodies and tourism agencies to hospitality service providers, to better serve the needs of the Muslim traveler.

CrescentRating’s products and services include rating & accreditation, research & consultancy, training, & certification (CR Academy), industry reports, Halal-In-Travel conferences, HalalChefWorld program, destination marketing and content provisioning. HalalTrip is a sister brand of CrescentRating.

Website: https://www.crescentrating.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cresentrating Twitter: https://twitter.com/crescentrating LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crescentrating/

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

www.mastercard.com

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Did you know: The 3 hard-won dates of Philippine Independence

QUEZON CITY, (PIA) – In the Philippines, the month of June is a reminder of the country’s hard-won independence. It marks one of the most significant events in our history: Philippine Independence Day.

The national holiday commemorates the Declaration of Independence from Spanish rule on June 12, 1898. This historic ceremony took place at Emilio Aguinaldo’s residence in Kawit, Cavite, and commemorated the birth of the country’s democracy.

But did you know that Philippine Independence has been declared more than once?

April 12, 1895: The Cry of Pamitinan

In April 1895, Andres Bonifacio and the Katipuneros sought refuge in Pamitinan Cave in San Mateo, Rizal, using it as a secret meeting place. Inside the cave, they plotted their revolt against the colonizers and welcomed new members. They also wrote “Viva la Independencia de Filipinas (Long Live Philippine Independence)” on the cave walls to express their cry for independence. Modern historians believe this to be the first cry for liberty in the Philippines.

August 1896: The Cry of Pugadlawin

Andres Bonifacio and his troops declared an armed revolt against Spain. In a display of defiance, they tore up their residency certificates, or cedulas, as a symbol of their independence from colonial power. The historic event is known as the “The Cry of Pugadlawin.”

While the specific date is debated, with accounts indicating August 20, 23, 24, 25, or 26, 1896, and the actual location is contested—whether Pugadlawin, Balintawak, Pasong Tamo, Kangkong, or Bahay Toro—the significance of this event as a declaration of independence remains unchanged.

June 12, 1898: The Declaration of Independence in Kawit

On June 12, 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo,  issued the Declaration of Independence from the window of his home in Kawit, Cavite. This proclamation was an important moment in Philippine history since it was mainly viewed as the country’s first declaration of independence.

In 1962, the Philippine Historical Association persuaded President Diosdado Macapagal to move the Philippine Independence Day celebration from July 4 to June 12. Macapagal recognized the symbolic importance of June 12 in the Filipino fight for nationhood.

The Kawit Declaration led the way for independence, such as the formation of a Congress, ratification of independence, the development of a constitution, and the inauguration of Asia’s first democratic republic. Despite the Treaty of Paris, which dismissed Aguinaldo’s administration, the republic’s establishment justified the Filipino battle for independence, resulting in the Philippine-American War. This encouraged aspirations for autonomy, which resulted in independence on July 4, 1946.

While July 4, 1946, is remembered as the day of total sovereignty and unaltered independence, the decision to recognize June 12, 1898, as Philippine Independence Day expressed the country’s will to dictate its destiny and history.

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) invites everyone to join the 126th Independence Day. 

Don’t miss out on these activities prepared by the NHCP for the 126th Philippine Independence Day!

Schedule of events:

June 07, 2024

Musikalayaan

Open Air Auditorium, Rizal Park, Manila

6:00 pm onwards

June 08, 2024

Independence Day Colloquium

Rizal Park, Manila

8:00 am to 3:00 pm

June 09, 2024

Parade of Volunteer Firefighters of the Philippines along Luneta 

Rizal National Monument, Rizal Park, Manila

June 10 -11, 2024

Pampamahalaang Programa at Serbisyo

June 10 – 12, 2024

Burnham Green Activities

June 12, 2024

Parada ng Kalayaan 2024

(GLDG/PIA-NCR)

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