InfoAnda - Philippines seeks boost to tourism

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

G20 hails better than expected economic rebound | 24 April 2010
iPhone maker faces new criticism over China labor practices | | 12 October 2010
Clinton in Pakistan, presses for more to quash | | 27 May 2011

New Glee album overshadows Twilight, Aguilera | | 17 June 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Philippines seeks boost to tourism

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Singapore Asia Pacific World Philippines seeks boost to tourism AFP - Sunday, July 11 Send IM Story Print Philippines seeks boost to tourism MANILA (AFP) - – The Philippines is aiming to double tourism revenues in six years while avoiding the mass-market route taken by some of its Southeast Asian neighbours, the country's new tourism minister told AFP. The archipelago of more than 7,000 islands boasts some of the world's most beautiful white-sand beaches but annual tourist revenues are a paltry 2.25 billion dollars, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim said in an interview. "We want double that, at least," said Lim, a former high-end resort developer who was appointed to President Benigno Aquino's cabinet on June 30. The Tourism Authority of Thailand estimates that its country will earn 430 billion baht (13 billion US dollars) from tourism in 2010, but Lim said "I'm not sure whether I would like to emulate the Thai model. "I would like to go for quality tourism and just make up for the lack of (tourist) numbers in revenues," he said. "Unbridled tourism is also bad because the environment suffers. So we are very careful about the type of tourism we want. The people who come for culture, history and nature, maybe we can receive them." While insisting backpackers were still welcome, Lim noted that they did not spend a lot, adding that "they leave waste." The timeframe for doubling revenues is the six-year term of Aquino's presidency. Just over three million tourists visited the country last year, down 3.9 percent from 2008 as tourism worldwide retreated amid the global financial crisis. By contrast, tourist arrivals in Thailand, the industry leader in Southeast Asia, fell only 2.68 percent to 14.15 million last year, according to Thai government data. Lim said the Philippines tourism industry had terrific potential, despite large areas of the south remaining off-limits to foreigners because of Muslim insurgents' penchant for kidnapping. He insisted the Philippines had fine-white beach sand superior to anything that its neighbours could offer. "The beaches in the Philippines are better than Indonesia or Thailand," he said. However, there were many areas that needed to be improved to lure the high-paying tourists. Improving air access and customer service, educating rude and at times dishonest taxi drivers, building good link roads and developing niche markets were some of the new government's strategies, according to Lim. "We'll make them (tourists) stay longer, enjoy the Philippines and so to do this we will have to improve the product that we offer," he said. Lim's first priority is to open up Philippine skies further. He pointed out that there were three times as many flights between Japan and Thailand as between Japan and the Philippines. "Access creates investments, investments create hotel facilities and that will also lower prices," he said. While government spending for the tourism sector rose during the past nine years of then president Gloria Arroyo's administration, Lim said the money was not targeted well and often rewarded supporters of the government. "A problem of the past administration was the president, to keep herself in power, had to spread the budget thinly over different areas," he said, citing instances where airports were built where they were not needed. Lim singled out nature tourism as one niche sector that, aside from scuba diving, had not fulfilled its potential. Lim also said that the Philippines should maximise its potential of being an English-speaking nation. He said the Philippines should be able to attract more medical tourists who felt comfortable with English-speaking doctors and nurses. "They (Thailand) may offer better medical service, but people are anxious, right? They want to know what's happening to them," he said. Lim also said that, while Philippine tour guides may speak English, they required more training and taxi drivers needed to improve their manners. "Taxi drivers can speak English but there has to be some courtesy." Few visitors also got to experience the country's rich cultural heritage since there were not that many museums to put artefacts on display, he said. "We have so many beautiful artefacts that are sitting in warehouses. It's really almost criminal that they go to waste, and they are deteriorating. We should get museums in the old style, operating in the old city," he said. Meanwhile, attractions like the white-sand beach of Boracay island were suffering from overdevelopment, and the 3,000 year-old rice terraces carved from the mountainsides of Banaue town in the north were crumbling, he said. Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles China bank lending cools in June AFP - 18 minutes ago Philippine cbank says can manage stronger growth Reuters - 30 minutes ago Delek Group to buy another 1 pct of Noble Energy Reuters - 56 minutes ago Lukoil issues tenders for Iraq's West Qurna 2 Reuters - 1 hour 1 minute ago TowerJazz to exchange $80 mln of bond due in 2011 Reuters - 1 hour 9 minutes ago News Search Top Stories Deadly British fugitive siege under investigation European probe Rosetta flies by asteroid: ESA Spain, Holland see unity as key to World Cup final ECB launches offensive on eurozone economic fears Oil companies reeling from drilling moratorium uncertainty More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended European probe Rosetta flies by asteroid: ESA Painting of dead Mandela draws outrage in S.Africa Remote Easter Island braces for total solar eclipse Russian spies leave US without a trace Fugitive British gunman dead: source More Most Viewed » Reclusive top mathematician turns down prize, again Germany's 'Octopus oracle' keeps perfect record Aussie men shoot each other in buttocks 'to see if it hurts' Amputee cat gets bionic legs Fans gather for Michael Jackson death anniversary More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Asia Entertainment Photos World Cup 2010 Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Sunday, 11 July 2010
Abbas says wants progress for direct Mideast talks
Mercury soars across Europe
Iran reviewing woman's stoning death sentence
Face-saving compromise lets China, Google do business
Cuba readies prisoner release; one said out of jail |
Russian, US spies start new lives but mystery swirls
Gaza aid ship sails from Greece, may head to Egypt |
Sudan to consider north-south confederation
Oil companies reeling from drilling moratorium uncertainty
Five US soldiers die fighting Taliban in Afghanistan
Remote Easter Island braces for total solar eclipse
French sleaze case puts spotlight on legal system |
Abbas says wants progress for direct Mideast talks |
On eve of final, S.Africa basks in World Cup success
Surge of attacks kills 6 US troops, 12 Afghans
6 US troops, 12 civilians killed in Afghan attacks
Indonesian president visits attacked anti-graft activist
Japan PM's party at risk of setback in Sunday vote
5.8-magnitude quake strikes off Solomon Islands
Russia-U.S. spy swap participants phone families
It's okay U.S. only got 4 for 10 in spy swap
Russian expert in spy swap 'resurfaces near London'
Apocalypse now? In US and abroad many are prepared
Remote Easter Island braces for total solar eclipse
Haitian farmers reaping hard times as hunger grows
Easter Island braces for eclipse, tourist influx
Correction: China Trade story
Surge of attacks kills 6 US troops, 12 Afghans
Cuba starts releasing group of political prisoners
European probe Rosetta flies by asteroid: ESA
Fidel Castro makes first appearance in four years |
Spain, Holland see unity as key to World Cup final
Japan government at risk of setback as voters go to poll |
NATO: 5 US troops killed in Afghanistan
Cuba begins to free small group of political prisoners
ECB launches offensive on eurozone economic fears
50 people dead in China after heavy rain |
Russian, US spies start new lives but mystery swirls
Australia to hold boatpeople talks with East Timor |
Second person killed in Panama labor clashes |
Global Weather-Celsius
China demolishes Urumqi flashpoint area
Japan government at risk of setback as voters go to poll
Pakistan bombing death toll hits 105: officials
New Myanmar party splits opinion in voting debate
Sex now chief cause of Ukraine's AIDS epidemic
Remnants of war pose threat in Vietnam's Quang Tri
Adrien Brody flexes muscles in "Predators"
Suspect arrested for Philippine radio reporter's killing
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
50 people dead in China after heavy rain
Spanish director Vila wins at Czech film festival
Australia to hold boatpeople talks with East Timor
In Spain, crowds rally for Catalan autonomy
Rain, floods blamed for 50 deaths in China in July
Japan votes in election seen as test for Democrats
Usher to sing in Chinese in China debut
Interest rate hikes are Asia 'vote of confidence'
China's forex reserves hit new record
Mergers key to survival in India's crowded mobile market
New Mumbai airport plan: environment vs business
Philippines seeks boost to tourism
S.Korean finance minister upbeat on global economy
South Sudan army says kills seven in militia raids
British police probed over fugitive manhunt
Tunisia sentences eight to jail on terror charges
Judge shot dead in Dagestan
Netanyahu says will meet Egypt's Mubarak on Tuesday
Deadly British fugitive siege under investigation
Attacks kill 11 Afghan police, district chief
NATO denies Taliban ascendant as Afghan toll mounts |
European probe Rosetta flies by asteroid: ESA
Colombia forces kill 12 rebels in early morning raid |
Israel says won't let Libyan aid ship reach Gaza |
BP works to replace cap over gushing well
Bangladesh jails police over extrajudicial killing |
Fifteen years on, Srebrenica buries more victims |
Taliban attacks kill 14 Afghan police: officials |
Iraqi court seeks arrest of Iranian exiles |
Al Qaeda claims south Yemen security HQ attack |
Japan govt loses upper house majority: exit polls
Japan coalition govt 'loses upper house majority'
China confirms renews Google's China license |
India ends Kashmir curfew, uneasy calm across region
New sumo tournament starts amid gambling scandal
Australia defends 'difficult' asylum-seeker plan
Taiwan's leader calls for closer ties with China
NZ house price growth slows in June
UAE high-flying airlines to create 60,000 new jobs
Clinton to honour S.Korean sailors: official
Indian govt sorry for dumping Bhopal waste in 2008
China bank lending cools in June
China's foreign reserves rise to $2.45 trillion
US-TECH Summary
China confirms renews Google's China license
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01