This webinar is a collaboration between the Philippine Department of Tourism and UN World Travel Organization. The discussion is about how to prepare for #TravelTomorrow.

There is no doubt that local and international tourism is on the rise in the Philippines. This positive growth is driven by the low cost fares offered by airlines.

Just today on my way to Bohol I was met by a long queue in the departure entrance and an almost full lobby of NAIA 3.

This agreeable scenario will continue to rise and hopefully the infrastructure development spur it more to greater heights.

Now that the global warming effects are being felt greatly. It is time to apply the iron hand in implementing the Green Economy.

In Tourism, it is always wrong to improve a site if you will destroy it's natural beauty. A wrong sense of tourism that will keep away tourists.

The point is to start and after that the rest becomes easy.




The increased arrival of foreigners in our ports and international flights last 2010 augurs well for our 2011.


It means there is confidence in our country. Now that simple but essential steps are being taken by the government, the outside world is taking notice.

The 3.45 Million foreigners that enter our main ports and the 6.4% or 3.59 Million passengers in our International Flights are indicative of a rosy year for us in 2011.

So what now?

I think that speaking in the exhibition and convention industry; we must make well and increase our events this year. Also, I read some interesting new products created by new organizers in the exhibition and convention industry; I pray that they become successful.

In our office, busyness is very prevalent. The skills of the members are also up a notch. Therefore we are ready to grab the opportunities and even create opportunities out of the positive things that are slowly taking shape in our country.

The recent Boracay controversy where a foreign couple was videotaped copulating in the beach is something that we should all be alarmed.


Yes, we wanted to increase our tourist visitors. We also acknowledge that Boracay is the most famous tourism spot in our country that it generates 650,000 tourists a year or about 22 percent of the total visitor traffic of the country. However, the disrespect to public sensibilities and moral values that our country upholds must be over economics. I fear the day that we have achieved economic progress but lost our souls.

In the theory of broken windows, practiced and made famous by then New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. A small wrongdoing not corrected will become a monster as time goes by. What Guiliani did was correct it immediately like repairing and apprehending people who broke window glass in an area in New York. When the public saw that there is police enforcement and broken windows are repaired immediately, the perpetrators suddenly disappeared and peace and order was restored in that particular area.

I say we do the same in this Boracay incident, act quickly and make strict enforcement of no sex on the beach rule. There are more important things that economic growth that is living decently.

It is good news that the “Pocket Open Skies” Policy is on full swing. The policy will most probably  take place in NAIA in Pasay City, Laoag International Airport (Ilocos) , Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (Clark, Pampanga), Puerto Princesa International Airport (Palawan), Subic Bay International Airport, Kalibo International Airport (Aklan), Mactan International Airport (Cebu), Davao, General Santos, and Zamboanga.


The effect as said by the proponents is more direct flights from International Carriers straight to those above mentioned local airports.

This action will hopefully increased tourists arrival, lower airfares (not that it has not gone down through the years) and improvement on services offered by airlines to the passengers (this I am keeping my fingers crossed).

A packed exhibition

The government plans to attract 3.3 Million tourist visitors in the country this year. Compared to Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia the target we set is small. However, since we are starting with a new administration and the issue of continuity is always a problem in our government I can say that the target is a decent one.


Now, if we are to focus on the 3.3 Million visitors I would suggest that we go for businessmen and investors to be the large chunk of this pie. These two segments can greatly benefit our economy because they have the spending power.

If all of us agree on this, the question now is how do we achieve it?

I say we must do big changes in our peace and order and promote to the world that it is safe here. Second, we must support our MICE industry. Let us create mega learning conventions and mega expositions. Last but not the least; let us focus on the first A in the 5As of Tourism that is ACCESS. We must open NAIA 3 for International Travel and eliminate all unnecessary taxes that make travelling in our country more expensive than going out of than going out of the country. Our secretary of tourism promotes Open Skies and hopefully the positive things about this policy will redound immediately.

3.3 Million Tourists for this year will be meaningful to our country they are quality tourists. It is time for a fresh start; let us cross our fingers for our country.

Today’s tourism congress only validated the impact that tourism industry can do to eradicate poverty in our country.


In the report given by Ms. Ma. Cherry Lynn Rodolfo, Economist, University of Asia and Pacific she reiterated the MULTIPLIER EFFECT of tourism to 2.5% per tourist that visits our country.

Mr. Khoo Swee Chiow, one of the speakers in the congress shared his testimony of how beautiful the Philippines is. He is a Singaporean who toured the Philippines by using kayak. He showed different pictures and the audience in the tourism congress is in awe.

There is so much to be done in order to realize this potential which we have been harping around for so many years and to different government regime that led this country. Sadly, the movement forward is nowhere to be seen.

Senator Dick Gordon made a very interesting point when he said in this important gathering, “ Lahat tayo ay magagaling, ang problema lahat tayo ay magagaling”.

What ails our industry is not the lack of talents and capabilities, instead we are hampered by all wanting to be leaders and nobody wanted to be relegated as followers.

Let us get our acts together, our potential is just there waiting to be harness to improve the lives in our country.

An article that came out July 11 in Philippines Star and was picked-up by Yahoo News said that DOT Secretary Alberto Lim find Boracay so dense and is alarmed by the algae that grows which he attributes to hotel and many establishments sewerage system.


Asked if the government can do something about it he mentioned that there is a possibility that the government cannot halt overdevelopment in this 10.3 square kilometre paradise.

I feel sad that already the white flag is being raised by our incoming Secretary of Tourism to the difficult situation that Boracay is in. What I know is that the associations and different cause oriented groups in Boracay can be called to action, most especially if the long term view is presented to them in all honesty. I should know I have talked to two of hotel operators and one government official when I was there.

True! Boracay has become dense because the place has turned-out to be one of the best beach party places in the world. We cannot deny the fact that it has also created a lot of jobs. Some nearby provinces have benefited from Boracay in terms of providing jobs for their citizenry.

If ever Caticlan Airport development pushes thru then we can see an additional increase of people visiting to Boracay. Seeing this possible reality, the DOT headed by our new secretary must make drastic actions. Giving-up and raising the white flag is not one of them.

In the face of Boracay’s popularity and the economic benefits that it offers vis-a-vis the threat of losing the island’s beauty because of the overdevelopment I strongly suggest that a strong and firm political will must be imposed in the island.

Our country has a lot of experts to craft a creative solutions to problems that bedevil the island. If there will be no under the table transactions and self interest will be pushed at the back burner, all things are possible.

In India, the public-private initiatives have work wonders. I think this can also happen in Boracay’s case. Our government and the private entities that are involved sit down they must have as the guiding principle in threshing out solutions the operative world BALANCE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

Again, it is not yet time to throw in the towel. Also not yet time to suggest that tourist go somewhere else in the country. All of these mean fleeing to the root of the problem.

I strongly believe there are a lot of solutions to this current imbroglio; we just need to sit down and talk.