OCTOBER 2011 FEATURE

Reefs and Wrecks: Diving the Philippines

By Ryley Hartt
The variety and biodiversity found among the Philippines’ 7,107 islands allow for hundreds of adventurous escapes at a fraction of what they would cost elsewhere. Visitors find sea kayaking in the Calamian Islands, Palawan and Subic Bay; white water rafting through the Cordillera mountains along the Chico River; rough and tumble adventures in Cagayan de Oro and Davao Rivers and the thrill of the sardine run near Pescador Island.
Kiteboarding and boardsailing are mainstays in the island paradise of Boracay. World-class wakeboarding can be found at the Camsur Watersports Complex in Subic Bay and in Lago de Oro. Other popular activities include canopy walks, skydiving, hot air ballooning and flying ultralight planes. Those less inclined toward the extremes can appreciate that the Philippines hosts 760 species of birds—including some of the world’s rarest—like the Chinese Egret, Eurasia Spoonbill and Schrenck’s Bittern. The Candaba Swamps are a well-known bird sanctuary that serve as a stop-over for birds migrating from north Asia to points south of the equator during the cold months in the northern hemisphere.
Still, it can be said that the Philippines’ greatest treasures exist underwater. Rightfully so, considering the islands inhabit the center of the world’s marine biodiversity and coral triangle, where 400 of the world’s 500 known types of coral exist and some 2,000 marine species can be found.
The Philippines is a scuba diver’s dream come true. The warm waters and often-exceptional visibility at the convergence of the Pacific Ocean, South China Sea and Celebes Sea create optimal conditions for discovering WWII shipwrecks, coral, turtles, sharks, rays and about 300 species of underwater creatures so exotic they were only discovered in the past year. No wonder most divers return here for an average of 10 trips each. Next month, from November 2 to 5, the PDOT will be participating in the 2011 DEMA Show in Orlando alongside 24 dive tour operators from the U.S. and the Philippines. Here is a preview of some of the most popular dive sites they will be showcasing.

Anilao and Puerto Galera and Verde Island
Located in the province of Batangas (two hours by land from Manila), Anilao is a superlative “macro” dive site, teeming with reef fish including unusual-looking sea goblins, blue-ringed octopus and ghost pipefish. Its numerous dive sites include the Cathedral, composed of two large mounds forming a cavernous underwater amphitheater; Sombrero, an underwater island that literally looks like a hat; and Bahura with its breathtaking slopes, drop-offs, overhangs, and swim-throughs. Its proximity to Manila makes it very accessible and sometimes a lucky current will even bring sharks and large tuna for divers to marvel at.
Puerto Galera can be reached in 30 minutes over land from Manila and in about 45 minutes via ferry or banca boat from the port of Batangas City. Its world-class dive sites include Canyons, a series of three ravines whose sides are covered in pink dendronepthya and whip corals; Hole in the Wall, an underwater passage that leads to huge trevallies, Emperor fish and batfish; and Verde Island. If the Philippines is the center of the world’s marine biodiversity, then Verde Island is the epicenter. This 10 square kilometer area between Batangas and Mindoro provinces is said to host the highest concentration of marine life on the planet.

Tubbataha Reef Marine Park
In the middle of the Sulu Sea between the finger-shaped island of Palawan and the rest of the Western Visayas lies a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the pinnacle of diving excellence in the Philippines. Tubbataha Reef can only be reached by liveaboard boat and weather allows only a short diving season (March-May), but this is hands down the best diving the Philippines has to offer. The fact that it’s located 128 km from land means there is no runoff, which means that visibility can exceed 50 meters. It’s pristine coral reef and perpendicular walls are home to some big pelagic fish: tuna, jacks, barracudas as well as turtles, rays, hammerhead and reef sharks.

Apo Island & Borocay
Apo Island is a protected coral reef surrounding a volcanic island in the Visayan Sea, accessible from Dumaguete, which is just a one-hour flight from Manila. The underwater habitat surrounding Apo Island has been replicated in one of the four main exhibits at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and offers some excellent diving. High visibility and a fair current give divers a good chance to see large schools of jacks. Turtles and sea snakes are often found here. The strong currents and the depth however, would normally limit this site to advanced divers of divers with experience in such conditions.
The Pier, also in Dumaguete, offers fascinating diving beneath a pier covered in colorful soft corals. This dive site is a photographer’s and macro fanatic’s dream. As you swim in and around the pier schools of fish encircle you and the soft corals are full of small critters, nudibranch, flat worms, ghost pipefish and seahorses.
Boracay is sometimes referred to as the best scuba classroom in the world. Dive operators line the beaches offering classes in any language and visitors come from all corners to get in on the action, whether they’re interested in diving or not. Yapak offers an outstanding all-around environment where divers never know what they’re going to encounter. A beautiful blue descent leads to a wall where sharks and tuna sit in the current effortlessly, however there is also an abundance of smaller animals like nudibranchs and pygmy sea horses.
Crocodile Island is only a stones throw away from Boracay Island itself and can be reached within fifteen minutes from White Beach. This site has something for every experience level and a huge variety of sea life can be found, including schools of reef fish, nudibranch, lion fish, eels, cuttlefish, sea snakes, fan coral and more.

Choosing a Dive Operator
The same clear visibility and strong currents that make for such incredible diving in the Philippines can also be very dangerous and disorienting. Weather conditions can change within a matter of minutes and it is strongly advised that you make sure your clients are diving with a professional, PADI-affiliated dive operator.

For more information and help choosing a suitable operator, visit the Philippines Department of Tourism at www.tourism.gov.ph

MAY 2011 FEATURE

The Philipines
Man’s Conquest, Nature’s Bounty

By Ryley Hartt

In the idle pre-departure chitchat that invariably arose as I made my way around the country, I was made aware that many Filipinos share the perception that their country still lies somewhat off the grid for western tourists. Some joked that if it were not for the spouses and families of these Filipino-Americans returning to visit their native country, American travelers would be a rare sight. That alone was reason enough for me to want to explore further, as I suspect it would be incentive for many Americans. But in fact, this is not true. According to last year’s arrivals statistics, the U.S. ranked as the second main source market behind Korea, with 600,165 visitors for a share of 17 percent of total tourist traffic. The beauty is that in a country with such diverse offerings as the Philippines, it’s not hard for 600,165 visitors to find exactly what they’re after and quickly blend in.
The New York director for the PDOT, Emma Ruth Yulo, outlined the country’s key assets as follows: second in the world with the most number of islands, a coastline that is nearly double that of the continental U.S., the kind of cultural diversity afforded by 17 distinct regions and 171 living languages (balanced by the fact that 95 percent of Filipinos speak and understand English), 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and countless other locales that are steeped in the Philippines own astonishing history. Add to that world-class medical care, shopping, hotels and resorts—all among the least expensive in the region. Thus, the position of the PDOT is that “the key to reaching the country’s tourism potential” lies simply “in being able to effectively underscore these assets in a region that is the world’s fastest growing, tourism-wise.”
The passing of the 2009 Tourism Act and the assumption of President Benigno Aquino’s new administration last June has ushered in a renewed spirit and confidence for the Philippines to promote itself as a premier Asian tourist destination. The law streamlined the efforts of the PDOT and provided for the establishment of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), an institution tasked with the designation, regulation, and supervision of tourism enterprise zones in strategic areas of the country.
According to Ms. Yulo, the PDOT is actively “developing new tourism products to sustain arrival growth, to be served by improved infrastructure that takes into account traveler taste and requirements. Visitors now wish to be active while traveling, to do things, add new experiences, interact with—if not contribute to—local communities.”
Of course, opportunities like these already exist all over the Philippines. Some of the best known include the Banaue Rice Terraces, built into the Cordillera mountains near Baguio City by the Ifugao Tribe over 2,000 years ago; the Tubbattaha Reef, one of only two reefs in the world to have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO; the Chocolate Hills in Bohol, a natural phenomenon consisting of 1,268 hills shaped like Hershey’s Kisses that span over 20 miles across three towns; and the world’s longest underground river, found at Puerto Princesa Subterranean National Park in Palawan.

Manila’s Melting Pot
In order to get to any of these, arriving visitors must pass through Manila—a true melting pot whose unique flavor profile often seems to be underappreciated by visitors who expect to pass through it like a cafeteria line. To appreciate Manila, one must have some contextual understanding of its influences and pick a few ingredients to fish out and examine more closely.
For a crash course on the history of Spanish rule, visitors must head to the walled city of Intramuros, which dates back to the 1600s. The focal point is San Agustin Church, which remains remarkably intact after surviving invasions, earthquakes and American bombs (sometimes 300 a day) during the Japanese occupation of Intramuros in WWII that effectively leveled everything else around it. Not bad for a building constructed of adobe bricks from the Pasig riverbed and held together with egg whites and molasses. The careful preservation of the religious icons in the church museum, many of them hand-carved dolls modeled after saints, tells much about their significance to a country that today claims to be 81 percent Catholic.
There is also Fort Santiago, the primary Spanish defense fortress built by Miguel López de Legazpi. Here, Dr. Jose Rizal, Philippine national hero and martyr, whose death precipitated the Philippine Revolution, was imprisoned and executed for sedition by the Spanish colonizers. Today Fort Santiago stands as a tribute to him, and houses artifacts that tell his story, including his final words that were inscribed in a poem on the eve of his execution and hidden in his cooking stove for his family to find.
Rizal is also commemorated in the center of the city at the site of his execution, now aptly named Rizal Park, where a memorial depicting his tragic end before a firing squad stands in close proximity to the country’s tallest flagpole. Fact: the horizontal blue and red stripes of the Philippine flag fly with the blue stripe on top except in time of conflict.
Metropolitan Manila is actually comprised of 16 smaller cities and one municipality. After the long flight clients will be on the lookout for a comfy place to knock off their jetlag, and Pasay City and Makati—both within a short drive from Ninoy Aquino Int’l Airport—offer great accommodations. In Pasay City, just up the road from the Mall of Asia, the Sofitel Philippine Plaza (www.sofitel.com) resides in the Cultural Center of the Philippines overlooking Manila Bay. With nightly cultural shows in its Sunset Bar, the Sofitel shares the duty of preserving Filipino arts and culture along with its neighbors. Guests may indulge in fine dining in the flagship restaurant Spiral, or take a short ride down Roxas Blvd to the Dampa, a combination wet market and food court where they can purchase fresh seafood and produce from the vendors lining the market side and take it to one of the restaurants next door to have it prepared any way they like.
For a full day excursion, clients can walk down to the Sun Cruises Terminal early in the morning to catch a fast ferry to Corregidor Island.

The Rock
Located at the entrance of Manila Bay, roughly an hour and fifteen minutes by boat, this tadpole-shaped island played a strategic role for naval defense of the capital city during WWII. The island is only 6 km long and 2.4 km wide at the head, with a rocky landscape and flat topside that at one time held a total of 136 artillery canons and mortars used by the American and Filipino forces in defense of Bataan. When commanding General MacArthur was called away to Australia to plan and – execute his Southwest Pacific Command, eventually culminating in the successful liberation of the Philippines – Japanese forces laid siege to the tiny island of Corregidor and overwhelmed the troops stationed there under Gen. Wainwright. On January 22, 1945 MacArthur’s troops made good on his promise to return and retook the island from the air. Today much of the island is covered by natural foliage, inviting birdwatchers and hikers, but the real attraction lies on the bottom side where the head connects with the tail. The Malinta Tunnel, where both sides holed up and held out as long as they could, now offers a light and sound presentation chronicling the furious battles and historic moments that took place here. If you decide to send your clients here, be sure to look up Steve Kwiecinski (steveontherock@gmail.com), who has made it his life’s work to study the often misrepresented history of what occurred on the island where his father bravely served, and to set the facts straight one tour group at a time. Sun Cruises (www.corregidorphilippines.com) operates two fast ferries between Manila and Corregidor, departing at 8 A.M. and returning at 3:45.

Malls and Monuments
Manila American Cemetary, which resides just outside of the Makati Business District east of Pasay City, is the other must-see WWII memorial. Here lie 17,202 American and Filipino troops, buried under marble headstones arranged in concentric circles over 152 acres of land. A white chapel at the south end contains a stunning mosaic Madonna figure scattering flowers for the heroic dead. In front of the chapel lies a wide terrace with 25 mosaic maps illustrating the achievements of the American Armed forces and the names of 36,282 soldiers whose bodies were never recovered.
Makati City favors shopping, dining and nightlife along Ayala Blvd. with a cluster of shopping centers that include the more local flavor of Market! Market! and more upscale Greenbelt 5. Guests at the Manila Peninsula Hotel (www.peninsula.com) may not ever wish to stray from the top-notch cuisine offered at Spices restaurant or the intoxicatingly nostalgic atmosphere of Salon de Ning, but should they choose to there are dozens of restaurants and bars lining the outdoor terraces of Greenbelt 5 just across the street that come alive when the sun goes down.

Exploring the Final Frontier
Having sampled some of what Manila has to offer, your clients may be ready to escape to the outdoors and unwind. For beach lovers and adventure seekers, Palawan’s 1,200 miles of coastline and vast tracts of virgin forest—and the fact that it’s the westernmost province—have earned it the nickname “the final frontier.” From Manila there are three to five flights daily (morning and afternoon) to Puerto Princesa and you can choose between Philippine Airlines, Air Philippines and Cebu-Pacific. Its just an hour and twenty-minute flight from Manila to the laid-back capital of Puerto, and mere miles from the airport to Honda Bay, where water taxis wait to escort your clients to a picnic cabana on any one of the tiny islands dotting the bay’s pristine waters and shallow reefs. For serious diving, Puerto Princesa offers access to Tubbataha Reef, though there is just a brief window during the months of April and May when the wind and water conditions will allow it.
The St. Paul Underground River—also called Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park—is actually found further north in the village of Sabang and, unlike the reef, this draws crowds almost every day of the year. A new road to Sabang has cut travel time to roughly an hour and a half by car, and the stunning scenery will leave passengers wishing it were just a bit longer. Speeding around switchback turns as they wind up into the mountain villages whose stilted sawale huts line the road, visitors are treated to the sight of uniformed schoolchildren making the hike to school, water buffalo dragging sleds out to the rice paddies, buses heavily laden with cargo (sometimes human) dangling precipitously from their roofs, children not yet of school age sometimes straddling the metal girders lining the road like mile markers, and—depending on the season—they may see farmers spreading their rice harvest out across the bare road to bake in the sun.
Daluyon Beach is ideally set in a tranquil alcove in the shadow of the garguatuan limestone formation known as St. Paul mountain, which the underground river passes directly underneath, emptying out into the sea. Dayulon Beach Resort (www.daluyonresort.com), with just 16 rooms and it’s own intimate beach befitting its very intimate style of service, is one of those rare resorts that knows just how to make any guest want to come back. From here it’s just a five-minute walk down the beach to where the water taxis line up to ferry passengers to the mouth of the underground river. There is also a hiking path, but everyone who plans to enter the national park must register and get a permit. Only 600 people are allowed to enter on any given day, which might sound like a lot, but there is an overwhelming demand and the local authorities are making an earnest effort to provide access while keeping it sustainable and well protected. At the mouth, passengers load into canoes and follow the beam of a flashlight connected to a car battery in the bow while a guide leads them partially up the 8.2 km river, pointing out stalagmites, stalactites and several enormous caverns teeming with bats.

Central Visayas
The island of Bohol lies in the Central Visayas, just a quick puddle-jump or two-hour boat ride from Cebu, which is itself more of a tourist hub than a destination. As the country’s oldest and now most industrialized province, Cebu is actually nine cities and 44 municipalities covering 166 islands. This is where Magellan first landed in 1521, and curious visitors should stop here if for no other reason than to appreciate the bizarre fact that there are two important monuments, both held in equally high esteem, one marking where he first landed and planted his cross, and the second marking the spot where he was killed by a native chieftain by the name of Lapu-Lapu.
Ocean Jet operates fast ferry departures from Cebu pier to Tagbilaran, Bohol—also reachable by air directly from Manila. Of the 1.3 million residents of Bohol, 90 percent speak a dialect called Cibuano, which sounds similar but carries different meanings than the Tagalog commonly spoken in Manila and other parts of the country. Here there are no SM or Ayala malls, and motorized tricycles are the primary mode of transportation. With only one city on the island, the rest of Bohol quite traditional, relying on agriculture and tourism to sustain itself. It is also very open and accessible to those looking to get around and explore on their own. Motorbike rentals are available in town and there is one main road that loops around the entire island in about six hours, making it pretty difficult to get lost.
The Lompoc River is about 15 miles outside of town, or far enough that it makes sense to arrange a ride or hire a taxi from the airport. If your clients arrive in time for lunch, the river offers a truly unique dining experience aboard chartered pontoon boats that will serve them lunch and ferry them up the river for a while, making stops at nearby villages for musicians and singers to come out to the docks and give a quick serenade before moving on.
Bohol is never lacking in natural beauty, and though it doesn’t have the impressive limestone mountains like Palawan, it does claim to have the most extensive and beautifully formed hills in the world. These Chocolate Hills stretch as far as the eye can see from the most popular vantage point. Uniformly shaped and all between 30 and 50 meters tall, their name comes from their grassy covering, which turns chocolate brown at the end of the dry season.
This region is also home to the world’s smallest primate, known as a tarsier. These amazing creatures measure no bigger than the palm of one’s hand, with bulging eyes that cannot move in their sockets so they are uniquely adapted to make 180-degree turns with their head.
In Bohol it is possible to arrange home stays and find truly one-of-a-kind B&B’s in beautifully preserved heritage homes that reflect the traditional building methods for the temperate climate. There is also a charming and comfortable cluster of smallish resorts found atop a seaside cliff at the northeastern end of the famed Alona beach in Panglao Island, which is just a few minutes ride from the city of Tagbilaran. Amorita Resort (www.amoritaresort.com) treats guests with simple yet refined accommodations and dining, and a breathtaking 180-degree view of the Bohol Sea. Bohol consistently ranks among the world’s top diving destinations and predictably, Panglao caters to a mostly North American and European diving crowd, but anyone looking for a little local interaction can climb down to the beach and barter with the fisherman when they land with their daily catch.
For more help planning a trip to the Philippines, visit the Philippine Department of Tourism at www.experiencephilippines.org or www.tourism.gov.ph

Save the Date: Cultural Events & Festivals IN 2011
Ati-Atihan
In Kalibo, Aklan in the island of Panay on the third weekend of January on the 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany. Ati-Atihan is the greatest, most colorful and fun festival in the Philippines featuring native dance competitions pitched to rhythmic and mesmerizing drumbeats that run nonstop for several days. Since the world-renowned beaches of Boracay are within Aklan Province, many visitors extend their visit to include a restful sojourn in Boracay.
Pahiyas Festival
In Lucban, Quezon Province, on May 15.
Pahiyas is an annual celebration held in honor of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers, in thanksgiving for abundant harvests. Pahiyas literally means decorating the walls of houses with “kiping”, a native delicacy made from ground rice and flour then dyed in various radiant colors.
Flores De Mayo and Santacruzan
Celebrated throughout the country, on May 1 - May 31. Catholic parishes and other community organizations all over the islands celebrate “Flores de Mayo” with 9-day novenas during which the decades of the Rosary are recited and children offer flowers in Her honor. Traditionally, the Santacruzan is a sunset religious procession-parade held on the last day of the novena that fetes the Virgin’s many virtues. In metropolitan areas, the Santacruzan has evolved to be a veritable fashion show with celebrities and beauty queens wearing gowns by top fashion designers of the country.
MassKara Festival
On October 1-20, the weeklong festival is held each year in Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental province. The term was coined from two words: Mass meaning “a multitude of the people” and the Spanish word Cara meaning “face”. The festival features a street dance competition, the MassKara Queen beauty pageant, carnivals, marching band competitions, food festivals, sports events, musical concerts, and trade fairs, garden shows.
Panagbenga
Held in Baguio City, on February 1 – first Sunday in March. Panagbenga, term of the Kankanaey tribe meaning “season of blooming”, is a month-long annual flower held in Baguio City, the country’s summer capital. Aside from the colorful parades of flower-laden floats, the festival features street dancing competitions with hundreds of dancers clad in flower-inspired costumes evoking the traditional “Bendian” and “Ibaloi” tribal dance of celebration and merriment.
Peñafrancia
In Naga City, Camarines Sur, on the second Friday to Third Saturday of September. The feast is preceded by a procession, locally called “translacion”, during which the image and the Divino Rostro are transferred from the Basilica to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Naga City for 9 days of Novena prayers and Holy Masses as well as a colorful celebration of cultural shows, civic and military parades, sports competitions, agro-industrial trade fair, and the coronation of Miss Bicolandia beauties. It culminates in a fluvial parade on which candle-bearing devotees bring Our Lady’s image back to the Basilica.
Sandugo Festival and TBTK
Tigum Bol’anon Tibuok Kalibutan is held every three years in Bohol’s capital – Tagbilaran (2012). It is a gathering of Boholanons from all over the world; thus, almost doubling the provinces’ population resulting in a holiday atmosphere reverberating throughout the province. Several events are held concurrently, including street dancing, and the crowning of a “Miss Bohol” and “Mrs. Bohol”. Most spectacular is the 3-4 hour folk dance competition with vying entries from Bohol’s 40+ towns.
Sinulog
The weeklong festival starting from the second Saturday of January is a centuries-old tradition observed in Cebu, the Philippines’ second largest city, in honor of the Santo Niño (Holy Child). The term comes from the Cebuano adverb “sulog” which translates to “like water current movement,” and describes the traditional two steps forward and one step backward movement of the Sinulog prayer-dance with is synchronized to the beat of drums and shouts of “Pit Señor! Viva Sto. Niño!” The festival features a street parade.
Boracay International Dragon Boat
Held in Boracay Island, Aklan on April 28 – 30; this festival is one of the biggest international annual sporting events in the country, bringing participants from around the world. It is a fun-filled event incorporating the dragon boat spirit of sportsmanship and international camaraderie, held in world renowned Boracay Island, Aklan.
Moriones
In Marinduque Island, Philippines on Holy Monday to Easter Sunday. This weeklong celebration reenacts the story of Longinus, a one-eyed Roman centurion whose eyesight was restored by blood that spurted when he pierced the side of the crucified Christ. After three o’clock on Good Friday afternoon, the Santo Sepulcro is observed, during which old women exchange verses based on the Bible as they stand in wake of the dead Christ.
Zamboanga Hermosa Festival
In Zamboanga City on the twelve days between October 1-31, 2011. Held in honor of Our Lady of the Pilar, the festival is also popularly known as the ‘Fiesta Pilar’ and is a big celebration across the region. The event includes live music, cultural performances, street parades, and fireworks displays. The regatta that features numerous boats with brightly colored sails (vintas) filling the harbor is truly a sight to behold.
Siargao International Surfing Cup
In General Luna, Siargao, Surigao del Norte on the last week in September. This annual competition features phenomenal surfing on gigantic waves. The most popular and very powerful wave-off “Cloud Nine” located in General Luna has been hailed as one of the world’s five toughest breaks; considered to be one of the ten best waves in the world.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

With Emma Ruth Yulo, Director of Philippine Department of Tourism, NY
How is the Philippine Department of Tourism working to enhance its product awareness in the North American market?
The Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) continues to undertake programs to enhance awareness in North America. These include: a web-based travel agent specialist program (www.travelagentacademy.com); consumer and trade show participation; assistance to tour operators with Philippine packages; government-sponsored educational trips for travel trade; co-sponsorships with travel partners; joint marketing efforts with other Asian destinations like the Asia Now Group (www.DiscoverAsiaNow.com); media press trips and occasional ads in both trade and consumer publications.
We wish we could do more, but despite the dearth in ads and media coverage, the viability of the Philippines as a strong tourist destination has resulted in continuous arrival growths, especially from the North American market. In January, North American arrivals increased by more than 15 percent over last year.
How much concern is there for sustainability in paving the way for steady increases in visitor volume?
The Philippines has been among the first to embrace ecotourism; encouraging green tourism for accommodation and transportation facilities as well as for public recreational areas like beaches, highlands, parks. Incentives are offered to tourism suppliers that adopt green technology.
Social Tourism is another trend. PDOT has formalized its partnership with the Gawad Kalinga (GK) Community Development Foundation, Inc. for the development of community-based tourism enterprises in selected sites nationwide. PDOT supports GK’s world-acclaimed projects for personal and corporate volunteers to build houses for the urban poor and provide them with basic needs and skills to pursue livelihood opportunities. GK’s “Balikbayani” Program neatly dovetails with the “Mabuhay” Program of the PDOT as both are geared toward inviting overseas Filipinos and foreigners to visit GK sites and be motivated to help raise funds to build houses and undertake complementary programs for the less fortunate. In fact, a number of tour packages now include 1-2 days of community service, building communities for the poor; and has been one of our most gratifying tour components.
Are there any travel trends or growth patterns that you are focused on in the near future?
The 2010 World Travel Market Global Trends Report revealed that Asia is poised to lead both inbound and outbound travel over the next years, with a marked increase in regional demand for luxury breaks.
For much less money, one may enjoy the trappings of luxury—good food, idyllic landscapes, chauffeur-driven limousines, daily massages, beauty treatments, and other forms of pampering in the Philippines. The Philippines offers visitors numerous options by which to mend the body and soothe mind and soul. There are 5-star resorts and exclusive spas offering treatments at par with the world’s best. And there are many world-class medical facilities staffed by well-trained professionals performing excellent elective and non-elective procedures. All these are rendered with the Filipino brand of caring.
The Philippines is now attracting the cruise market, especially because cruise lines are opting more and more to deploy ships in Asia. This year was our second participation at Cruise Shipping Miami.
We expect to capture more of the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) market. After all, the Philippines’ Convention Center in Manila was Asia’s first and biggest. Its Plenary Hall can seat 5,000. For smaller meetings, there are endless possibilities in various islands of the Philippines. Our English-speaking population is also one of Asia’s most artistic and creative; rendering it much easier to organize and create spectacular and memorable events. We are looking to be active again at IT&ME or “The Motivation Show,” IMEX America and ASAE.
Are there any special travel interests that you ‘ve seen develop in the U.S. market? Have these had any influence on your 2011 marketing plan?
Definitely. The PDOT continues to identify North American special interest market segments, especially those in which the Philippines has distinct advantages. Our waters host over 2,000 marine species and over 400 of the world’s 500 known corals making it the world’s true epicenter of marine biodiversity. Yes, we are at the center of the world’s coral triangle! This has been proven by the pre-eminent scientist Dr. Terence Gosliner. We have been participating in dive shows like the annual DEMA Show and regional dive shows like Beneath the Sea, Our World Underwater, Scuba Dive Show and Tacoma Dive Show.  Ad placements, editorial and dive articles in dive magazines, testimonials and seminars conducted by American dive experts, have contributed to the Philippines’ becoming the buzz word in diving.
Are there any emerging destinations to report on?
The Philippines is developing its port facilities and infrastructure for the cruise industry. We are a member of the Cruise Southeast Asia working group and, through cooperative campaigns with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations now with 10 members), cruise itineraries running through the member countries, will be promoted.
Brand new and refurbished tourism facilities are sprouting all over the country. Shangri-la inaugurated its 5th property in Boracay. Radisson Blu opened its first hotel in Asia in Cebu, Philippines. Bella Roca in Marinduque, Misibis Bay and a few others now offer alternatives for celebrities who have frequented the top-notch Amanpulo in Palawan. At the same time, PDOT has beefed up support for bed-and-breakfast facilities in dozens of centuries-old Spanish lighthouses and the establishment of provincial museums and heritage villages.
What are some other resources available to North American travel agents to help them research and book travel to the Philippines?
The Philippine Department of Tourism is offering the Philippines Specialist Program (PSP) to all US and Canada-based travel agents who are interested to know more about the country and become travel specialists of the Philippines. This current four-seminar interactive course presents the Philippines’ major destinations and demonstrates how these can appeal to your clients’ special interests, including the Philippines’ rich history, famous world heritage sites, exotic beaches and islands, fabulous shopping, world-renowned pampering, colorful festivals and delectable cuisine. We have developed an online educational module for travel professionals who want to specialize on Philippine travel and tourism by logging on to www.travelagentacademy.com and undergoing a short online training program in four modules. Passing the exam will award a certificate of completion to the travel agent as a certified Philippine specialist.
PDOT also conducts global travel events with the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) usually held in Manila; and the Philippine International Tourism Fair (PITF), Cebu, is mainly geared towards tour operators so that they are able to expand product offerings to their agents. PHITEX is an institutional mechanism in forging business tie-ups between international buyers and local sellers of tour packages. PITF is a venue for travel agents (including tour operators, travel agencies, retailers, corporate travel planners, specialized tour companies, incentive travel, wellness program organizers and medical tourism intermediaries, among others) to check out which among the country’s finest tourism destinations, products and services they could offer to their clients in their respective countries. These foreign buyers will have pre-schedules and one-on-one business meetings with local sellers of tourism packages during the PITF’s Travel Market Exchange (Tramex).
The Philippine Department of Tourism maintains four (4) offices in the US: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The New York is also responsible for Eastern Canada; Chicago for Middle Canada, and San Francisco for Western Canada. Los Angeles also covers Mexico and other South American countries. Our offices are equipped with promotional material, maps and whatever information may be needed to effect travel to the Philippines.
To find the PDOT office nearest you, visit www.tourism.gov.ph