|  |  |  | | | | | philippines tourist - Google News | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MANILA, Philippines --- Vice President Jejomar C. Binay wants the private sector to help develop the old walled city of Intramuros in Manila into a tourist hub. The Vice President issued his appeal to the private sector in the wake of reports that the historic landmark is among the 10 sites in Asia listed by the Global Heritage Fund that are facing "irreparable loss and destruction." Binay at a recent forum said public-private partnership (PPP) should be tapped to hasten the development of Intramuros as a tourist hub. "Based on our own experience in Makati City, I always say that our projects are successful because we involve the private sector," said Binay, a long-time mayor of the country's financial center. "It seems the development of Intramuros as a tourism site is taking some time, so perhaps it's just right that we ask for help from the private sector," he said. The Intramuros Administration is the national government agency tasked to restore old walled city during the Spanish Era and develop it into a prime urban tourist destination. The Global Heritage Fund had reported that Intramuros is among the "architectural treasures in danger of vanishing under a tide of economic expansion, war and tourism." As for the informal settlers in the area, Binay said that they should be relocated if the courts would order so. The Vice President said that the tourism industry in the country has huge potential but then the government should build the needed infrastructures through PPP to attract more tourists. The Vice President related that during his visit to South Korea last March, travel agencies there complained that there are times that hotels in the Philippines could not accommodate all their clients who want to visit the country. Binay had also proposed the creation of a "Martial Law Museum" as another tourist draw in the Philippines.  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 
Seattle Center Festál: Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival, June 9 - 10, Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sunday, 12 noon - 5 p.m., at the Armory/ Center House and Mural Amphitheatre, explores the cultural roots and contemporary influences of the Philippines through live performances, cultural displays, hands-on activities, foods, children's activities, and a lively marketplace. This year's festival showcases the culture's advancements in technology, while looking back in time with a re-creation of Philippine participation at the 1962 Fair. The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, and the Department of Science and Technolgy will highlight thelatest electronics, energy and IT technology . Bits and pieces of the 1962 World's Fair Philippine Government Pavilion will display artifacts from the three Philippine regions, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The Philippine Department of Tourism will showcase the wonders and tourist attractions of the Philippines. It is indeed more fun in the Philippines.The renowned Philippine Bayanihan Dance Company, which performed at the World's Fair, will be back for a repeat performance! The 20 Seattle Center Festál cultural celebrations highlight The Common forms of tradition and expression among ethnic communities in the Pacific Northwest, while underscoring their unique creative contributions, customs, foods and ideals. Each event offers moving entertainment and fascinating insight into a different culture of the world. Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival is part of The Next Fifty at Seattle Center in 2012. The Festival is produced by Filipino Cultural Heritage Society of Washington in partnership with Seattle Center. For a full event schedule, visit www.fchsw-pagdiriwang.org, and for more information on this cultural series and other Seattle Center public programming, click on www.seattlecenter.com. Seattle Center Festál, part of The Next Fifty in 2012 celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, presents a series of 20 world festivals on weekends throughout the year highlighting the distinct cultures and common threads of ethnic communities in our region through traditional and contemporary art, music, foods, youth activities, workshops and more. This collection of cultural events is produced with the generous support of Wells Fargo and KUOW 94.9 Public Radio. Additional support is provided by Seattle Center Foundation and the City of Seattle. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | SAN JOSE, Antique, May 22 (PIA) -- The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is stepping up its campaign on tax collection through the intensified monitoring of the issuance of official receipts in tourist destinations like resorts, accommodations, restaurants among others. "We are riding on the campaign of the Department of Tourism, 'It's more fun in the Philippines' thus BIR has coined its own slogan 'It's more fun paying taxes' particularly this summer where there is an influx of tourist, thus more taxes to collect," said Roselyn N. Satajo, officer-in-charge of BIR in Antique. "Income of business establishments and services related to tourism industry such as resorts, hotels, tourist inns, recreational places, restaurants, transportation and travel agencies are expected to surge. We intensified our monitoring to ensure that taxes due to government are collected," added Satajo. "Much more when the province or municipality is having a festival or big celebration. There will be a chain effect due to influx of tourists. Aside from tourism sector, other industries monitored are telecommunications, beverages, fashion, and even local stores," she pointed out. On the other hand, BIR is all-out in its tax collection campaign, the reason why the agency is exploring all possible sources of taxes or revenues. It is the Filipino people who will benefit from the improved tax collection, the government could have the money to fund development programs, Satajo explained. Meanwhile, regular programs of BIR such as Oplan Kandado and Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) are on-going. BIR has issued reminders to business establishments to comply with invoicing requirements prescribed by the agency. (JCM/PSM-PIA 6, Antique) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | | Mr Jimenez is saddened but not worried |
News that Chinese travel agencies are suspending tours to the Philippines mid territorial disputes over Scarborough Shoal has not ruffled the feathers of Philippine Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr, who maintains the move will "not have a major impact" on the country's tourism. e-travel Blackboard was on location in Los Angeles where Mr Jimenez admitted the Department of Tourism was saddened by events but claimed that, "from a business stand point, it's far from disastrous". "The Philippines has at least ten primary markets, China is only one of them and not even in the top three," Mr Jimenez said. "Last year, the Philippines welcomed 243,000 visitors from China – nothing to write your mother about." Mr Jimenez assured media the actions of the Chinese travel agencies will likely be temporary and until the return of the Chinese tourists, the Philippine Department of Tourism will look to its "traditionally stronger markets" to make up the numbers. "There is so much interest to go to the Philippines in Japan. So maybe this is as good a time as any to strengthen our efforts there," Mr Jimenez said, adding that now may be the time to reallocate resources accordingly. Mr Jimenez was clear that the Chinese will always be very welcome in the Philippines and hopes the dispute will be resolved quickly. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Cebu Daily News 9:24 am | Monday, May 21st, 2012 Travel and booking cancellations by mainland Chinese tourists are affecting the businesses of tour operators and resorts in Bohol and Cebu, two of the country's major tourist destinations. The vacancies left by cancellations, however, were partly filled by Taiwanese tourists, who had revived their interest in visiting the Philippines by the middle of 2011, according to Bohol-based businesswoman Lourdes Sultan. Sultan, owner of the Village Floating Resto and Cruises, said about 400 Chinese tourists cancelled their bookings a few days after the Chinese government issued a warning against traveling to the Philippines on May 11. "The Chinese tourists travel in groups so there is really a significant drop in terms of numbers. The Taiwanese tourists have returned again after visiting Bohol middle of last year, so that in a way serves as a buffer," Sultan told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a phone interview. In Cebu, Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort and Spa sales and marketing director Agnes Pacis admitted receiving requests for postponement of bookings although she expressed confidence that the situation was temporary and would not adversely effect overall business. On Caohagan Island, located 40 minutes from Lapu-Lapu City, jet ski driver Jejemar Taghoy noted a big drop in the number of regular Chinese tourists. The 24-year-old Taghoy said his weekly income of P5,000 has gone down to P2,000. "Our regular tourists advised our office that they cannot travel to the Philippines at the moment. I think it is because of the dispute between the two governments," he said in Cebuano. Last Thursday, Barangay Caohagan Chair Ranilo Abayan said that more than 100 Taiwanese tourists visited the island known for its fresh seafood and quilts. The tourists were booked in resorts in Bohol and Cebu. Taiwanese Mai Lingling said she was traveling with her family and staying at a Bohol resort. "The Philippines is safe. There is nothing to worry about. You have good food, good people and good scenery. It's a place for relaxation," she said. Cebu Association of Tour Operators director Alice Queblatin said hotel and transport operators as well as restaurants were directly affected by the travel advisory since Chinese nationals were their top clients next to Koreans. Airline companies such as Zest Air and Cebu Pacific have suspended chartered flights from Chinese cities to the Philippines. Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and distribution Candice Iyog has announced that beginning May 12, they will suspend their twice weekly charter service between Shanghai and Clark on the request of the charterer based in China. But all other Cebu Pacific flights to mainland China destinations namely, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou and China's special administration regions, Hong Kong and Macau, would continue to operate as scheduled. Cecile Saa, president of travel agency Blue Horizons, described cancellations as "the most unwanted and unwelcome work for travel and tour operators because its results means business loss to operators." "Definitely, it will lower tourist arrivals in the country. The Chinese embassy might have issued travel advisories to their people to hold on to travel plans to the Philippines until the issues are resolved and this might take a long wait to normalize," Saa said. The Department of Tourism in Central Visayas recorded 55,000 tourists from China in 2011. About 20,000 Chinese nationals visited the region in the first two months of 2012. Inquirer Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines. Tags: Bohol , Cebu , China , Tourism Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer's day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer's Reader's Advocate. Or write The Readers' Advocate: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | By Cris Evert B. LatoInquirer Visayas 12:11 am | Monday, May 21st, 2012 CEBU CITY—Travel and booking cancellations by mainland Chinese tourists are affecting the businesses of tour operators and resorts in Bohol and Cebu, two of the country's major tourist destinations. The dent, however, was partly filled by Taiwanese tourists, who had revived their interest in visiting the Philippines by the middle of 2011, according to Bohol-based businesswoman Lourdes Sultan. Sultan, owner of Village Floating Resto and Cruises, said about 400 Chinese tourists cancelled their bookings a few days after the Chinese government issued a warning against traveling to the Philippines on May 11. Group travel "The Chinese tourists travel in groups so there is really a significant drop in terms of numbers. The Taiwanese tourists have returned again after visiting Bohol middle of last year, so that in a way serves as a buffer," Sultan told the Inquirer in a phone interview. In Cebu, Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort and Spa sales and marketing director Agnes Pacis admitted receiving requests for postponement of bookings although she expressed confidence that the situation was temporary and would not adversely effect overall business. On Caohagan Island, located 40 minutes from Lapu-Lapu City, jet ski driver Jejemar Taghoy noted a big drop in the number of regular Chinese tourists. Income down Taghoy, 24, said his weekly income of P5,000 was now down to P2,000. "Our regular tourists advised our office that they cannot travel to the Philippines at the moment. I think it is because of the dispute between the two governments," he said in Cebuano. On Thursday, Barangay Caohagan Chair Ranilo Abayan said that more than 100 Taiwanese tourists visited the island known for its fresh seafood and quilts. The tourists were booked in resorts in Bohol and Cebu. Taiwanese Mai Lingling said she was traveling with her family and staying at a Bohol resort. "The Philippines is safe. There is nothing to worry about. You have good food, good people and good scenery. It's a place for relaxation,"ť she said. Cebu Association of Tour Operators director Alice Queblatin said hotel and transport operators as well as restaurants were directly affected by the travel advisory since Chinese nationals were their top clients next to Koreans. Charters canceled Airline companies such as Zest Air and Cebu Pacific have suspended chartered flights from Chinese cities to the Philippines. Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and distribution Candice Iyog said that beginning May 12, they will suspend their twice weekly charter service between Shanghai and Clark on the request of the charterer based in China. But all other Cebu Pacific flights to mainland China destinations namely, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou and China's special administration regions, Hong Kong and Macau, would continue to operate as scheduled. Unwanted, unwelcome Cecile Saa, president of travel agency Blue Horizons, described cancellations as "the most unwanted and unwelcome work for travel and tour operators because its results means business loss to operators." "Definitely, it will lower tourist arrivals in the country. The Chinese embassy might have issued travel advisories to their people to hold on to travel plans to the Philippines until the issues are resolved and this might take a long wait to normalize," Saa said. The Department of Tourism in Central Visayas recorded 55,000 tourists from China in 2011. About 20,000 Chinese nationals visited the region in the first two months of 2012. Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines. Tags: : news , Bohol , Cebu , China , Taiwan , Tourism Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer's day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer's Reader's Advocate. Or write The Readers' Advocate: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 'Leave Nothing But Footprints' on Philippine Beaches
Kara Santos | May 20, 2012 Manila. Seashells and corals are competing with styrofoam packs, food wrappers, cigarette butts, and plastic bottles for space on some of the Philippines' most scenic beaches. Graffiti mars tourist spots like lighthouses and caves, proclaiming the names of recent visitors. While many of the country's popular holiday destination sites are postcard-perfect from afar, up close the scars of irresponsible travelers shine through. Tourism is booming in the Philippines, lifting the hopes of millions of the country's impoverished citizens for a better life. But the influx of travelers is also bringing with it some undesirable consequences — ones that may just end up spoiling the very things that make the country's sites worth traveling to. "Even if we put garbage bins labeled bio-degradable and non-biodegradable trash here in our resort, there are hard-headed people who just throw their junk food wrappers and litter anywhere," Lina Rizon, a caretaker of a private resort in Guimaras island in the Visayas region, told Inter Press Service. Littering is just one of the problems starting to plague the once pristine tourist locations. In recent months, photographs showing people abusing or mishandling wildlife and marine life have also gone viral on social networking sites. Some of these incidents include a case of a girl standing atop a whale shark (Rhincodon typus); a fisherman posing with a dolphin pierced by a fishing hook; and a group of divers posing while holding a sea turtle underwater. The public outcry over these photos, published online by infuriated netizens, often results in local government units or regional offices of the Department of Tourism taking quick action. However, tour operators, tourists, as well as locals who have been caught engaged in such practices have claimed they were not aware that they were doing anything wrong. "One time, we caught a visitor trying to smuggle a plastic bag full of live starfish she had gathered from the water out of the resort. We said she would have to pay a fine of 500 pesos ($11.72) per starfish, so she returned them to the water," added Rizon. Harnessing social media To address this problem, two individuals named Yoshke Dimen and Vins Carlos launched a social media campaign called "The Footprints Project" to promote responsible travel. The activists initially started the website PhilippineBeaches.org to share their love for travel and the beach. The Facebook fan page has grown into one of the country's largest unbranded travel communities with over 865,000 members. Such awareness-building comes at a critical time, since management of the world's oceans and seas is one of the seven critical issues that will be tackled in the upcoming Earth Summit, called Rio+20, to be held this Jun. 20-22 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. "It is not enough to travel. We need to travel aware of our responsibilities to the environment," said social media strategist and campaign co-founder Dimen during the launch last week. The campaign targets travel bloggers, travel agents and beachgoers to help spread the word effectively. "While we encourage people to travel and explore the many beautiful beach destinations in the country, we also want to make every Filipino a responsible traveler and an active steward of nature," Dimen told IPS. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness on ways to minimise human impact on the environment and provide practical and specific guidelines to help travelers become more informed, more involved, and more in touch with the natural world. The Project encourages netizens to Tweet with the hasthag #LeaveNothingButFootprints and #ResponsibleTravel whenever they share beach travel-related links. Partnering with non-profit organizations like Save Philippine Seas (SPS) and Earth Island Institute Philippines, the Footprints Project envisions "a healthy, sustainable and successful tourism environment enjoyed, promoted, and guarded by people who are environmentally conscious, friendly, and responsible." The Project has identified tips for responsible travel, which have been shared on social media sites. "Fish don't use utensils. Avoid bringing disposable items to the beach. Bring your own tumblers and food containers," proclaims one campaign poster shared over Twitter. "Respect Wildlife: If you really want a souvenir, purchase products that are not made using threatened or endangered plants or animals," goes another reminder posted on Facebook. Anna Oposa, co-founder of SPS, which harnesses social media for environmental conservation and responsible tourism, stresses the need for young people to get involved. "The most alarming environmental issue is apathy. It's not enough for people to just complain about the problem, we have to do something concrete. What we want is to empower people to save our seas through their own actions," Oposa told IPS. The Philippines is the "world's epicenter" of marine biodiversity, which means that conservation, protection, and restoration of its seas is not only of local significance, but international significance as well, according to SPS. The group recently released a free mobile application for Android on Google Play, which will also be launched on iTunes in a few weeks to help people do their part. "Aside from having a database of dive sites and dive shops, through the app, users can find volunteer opportunities and get in touch with different non-governmental organizations and conservation groups and report marine environment abuses and illegal practices they come across," said Oposa. Inter Press Service | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  'TRAVEL the islands and with your tongue, identify the tastes and flavors that express the culture." With the advice of pioneering Philippine food writer Doreen Fernandez in mind, Unilever Food Solution's Sooo Pinoy team commenced its series of gastronomic trips all over the country, kicking off the Food Trip na Pilipinas tour in two of Western Visayas' tourist hotspots: Iloilo City and Boracay.
Bringing together food lovers and members of the media, the Sooo Pinoy team visited restaurants that ranged from hole-in-the-wall eateries to five-star restaurants housed in some of the most renowned hotels in search of the best local cuisines served by different restaurants that cater to the Filipino palate. The dishes they sampled varied from traditional cooking to fusion cuisine that resulted from the Philippines's diverse cultural heritage. Twenty-two restaurants and dozens of emptied plates and bowls later, the Sooo Pinoy team unanimously agreed: Iloilo and Boracay are best explored with a hungry stomach, ready to take on their abundant gastronomic delights.  The Ilonggos' brand of sweetness and their proximity to the coastal areas are very much reflected in their cuisine. The distinct taste of their food and the region's rich culinary customs make Iloilo one of the country's top food destinations. One of the popular restaurants serving authentic Ilonggo dishes and the first stop of the tour is Freska Ilonggo Seafood and Inasal, which is also famous for its seafood. The restaurant's pinamalhan, Ilonggo's paksiw, takes the taste of this well-loved local dish a notch higher using pink salmon fillet and blending the sweetness of red cane vinegar with the staple dish sinamak.
Iloilo's many food stops and restaurants serve the cravings of different pockets. For a taste of authentic local dishes that are easy on the budget, the popular food chain Green Mango is the must-go-to restaurant of Ilonggos for affordable comfort food of superior taste. Its mouth-watering pepper-crusted sibingan (blue marlin) served with mango-carrot slaw and balsamic dressing can be had for only P125. Ilonggos love putting their own twist to traditional and foreign cuisines and when they do, they make their versions healthier. Floyd's Famous BBQ made clever use of malunggay and its many benefits by incorporating it in its dishes. Aside from its famous grilled specialties, another dish that is not to be missed at Floyd's is its moringa linguine pasta, its novel and healthier take on pesto pasta. One of the top reasons foodies head to Iloilo is its bountiful seafood. For seafood specialties, Breakthrough is Iloilo's top tourist destination for the day's freshest catch from the sea such as sinigang na managat (red snapper), sizzling crab meat and kinilaw na hipon. Here, customers pick their seafood of choice live, straight from the aquariums and have them grilled, stewed or sautéed. Meanwhile, for those who want Filipino afternoon snacks in a contemporary setting, Emilion Specialty Restaurant's dinuguan and puto is a must-try. The family that runs Esca's Garden Restaurant upholds family tradition by passing on heritage recipes through generations. Its kansi or bulalo, a recipe that has been passed from the great-grandmother to Chef Miguel Cordova, is one of the many exceptional dishes one should sample at the restaurant. Food is truly a major part in the life of every Ilonggo, with the overwhelming range of Iloilo cuisines that vary from simple dishes to seafood cooked in all sorts of ways, reflecting the rich Spanish and Chinese influences and the locals' way of life. The diverse backgrounds of visitors who come to Boracay to experience the island paradise have transformed this world-class destination into a melting pot of cultures, including its culinary customs. The hundreds of restaurants on the island try to cater to different tastes by presenting diners with a wide assortment of cuisines. Thankfully, many Boracay chefs and restaurant owners place Filipino cuisines on top of their menu, introducing Pinoy dishes to foreigners and adding gastronomic adventure to local tourists' experiences by preparing Filipino food in a more exciting way. The Sooo Pinoy team members, armed with their adventurous appetites, headed straight to Boracay from Iloilo, not to soak up the sun like the usual tourists, but to immerse in the best Filipino dishes on the island. Because Boracay appears on any World's Best Beaches list, it is not surprising that many of the top-notch hotels and restaurants can also be found here, and they proudly cook Filipino fare for both local and foreign tourists. The five-star Ambassador in Paradise Hotel is not only acclaimed for its stunning share of the White Beach and first-class service. In a romantic candle-lit set-up, the Sooo Pinoy team experienced the chicken binakol with truffle oil and the brazo de Mercedes filled with langka to top off the wonderful dinner. For a first-rate hotel like Astoria, diners will be surprised to find that its White Café restaurant serves Filipino dishes at very affordable prices. These include its sinigang na baboy mixed with batuan. Canyon de Boracay's award-winning Traviesa restaurant's pan-seared blue marlin is made more delectable with a cheesy sauce and château potato. D'Mall is not only a place to find one's beach must-haves and pasalubong; it also houses some of Boracay's yummiest destinations like Island Chicken Inasal. For chicken connoisseurs, it serves the tastiest chicken inasal, as well as some famous Bacolod dishes. The first Sooo Pinoy tour commenced in Iloilo and wrapped up in Boracay after five satisfying days of non-stop eating and learning about the two destinations' cultures. Indeed, places and cultures are best explored and discovered through the palate. More Sooo Pinoy dishes will be discovered and sampled as the Food Trip na Pilipinas tour travels in more cities and provinces around the country this year. The Sooo Pinoy campaign is launched by UFS to help promote Filipino pride by spreading the love for Filipino cuisine. Like the Sooo Pinoy Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SoooPinoy or follow @SoooPinoy on Twitter. (Tet Andolong)
In Photo: Stopping by Breakthrough is a must for its fresh seafood specialties, including the inihaw na bangus and Canyon de Boracay's award-winning Traviesa restaurant offers many delightful dishes, including the pan-seared marlin in cheese sauce.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | President Benigno Aquino III on Friday asked protesters to call off their trip to Panatag (international name Scarborough) Shoal in light of escalating tensions between Philippines and China. In a last-minute telephone call, the President convinced former Philippine Marine officer Nicanor Faeldon to cancel the trip. Faeldon, who was imprisoned for the 2003 coup attempt and granted amnesty last year, was supposed to travel to Panatag with 20 people, including media practitioners. "I received a call from the president requesting the postponement of this voyage ... I consulted the group and we agreed to concur with the wisdom of the government to postpone it," Faeldon said. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said, "The president, indeed, did speak with Captain Faeldon and had asked him to reconsider his plan because primarily it might be construed in a negative way." The former Marine officer explained that he organized the trip to gain global support for the country's efforts to find a peaceful solution to the stand-off with China. Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs said they already asked Faeldon to call off the trip but the latter dismissed fears that it would provoke China. Just as they were getting ready for the launch, the coastguard and then Aquino called him. The President told Faeldon that government representatives were in China and are negotiating the dispute. Faeldon said he understood Aquino's point that the postponement of the activity may help in the resolution of the dispute. Earlier, it was reported that Faeldon, together with former Annapolis cadet Manny Albuera, will lead a group of fishermen to take a stand on Panatag Shoal. They were supposed to bring the group as close to Panatag to exercise the fishermen's right to fish. China on high alert for "provocative moves" Amid the postponement of the trip, China's Foreign Ministry said they will remain on high alert for any provocative moves by the Philippines. Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said, "We also call on the related authorities of the Philippines not to make any irresponsible remarks or give rise to any extreme actions." Meanwhile, Peking University professor Yang Baoyun said that although the trip was cancelled, it is still provocative behavior against China. "Manila has felt the influence of Beijing's recent moves and started to restrain its moves to avoid prompting an escalation. Yet Beijing should be cautious about Manila's plans to make the dispute a constant issue," he said. Hong asked the Philippine government to "get back on the right track for a diplomatic resolution." He reiterated that Huangyan Island (Chinese name for Scarborough Shoal) is part of China's territory. "We also hope that the Philippine side will stop making irresponsible remarks and inciting radical behaviors," he added. "Economic fallout" On the other hand, since the dispute, the country has received a "modest economic fallout" with China. Media has been covering news that China had imposed stricter quarantine restrictions on the country's fruit exports, especially bananas. The sector is said to have lost around $33.6 million. A travel advisory also resulted in tourist cancellations which have affected Philippine resorts and travel agencies. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Redirect Notice Redirect Notice | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | | Mr Jimenez is saddened but not worried | | |
News that Chinese travel agencies are suspending tours to the Philippines amid territorial disputes over Scarborough Shoal has not ruffled the feathers of Philippine Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr, who maintains the move will "not have a major impact" on the country's tourism. e-Travel Blackboard was on location in Los Angeles where Mr Jimenez admitted the Department of Tourism was saddened by events but claimed that, "from a business stand point, it's far from disastrous". "The Philippines has at least ten primary markets, China is only one of them and not even in the top three," Mr Jimenez said. "Last year, the Philippines welcomed 243,000 visitors from China - nothing to write your mother about." Mr Jimenez assured media the actions of the Chinese travel agencies will likely be temporary and until the return of the Chinese tourists, the Philippine Department of Tourism will look to its "traditionally stronger markets" to make up the numbers. "There is so much interest to go to the Philippines in Japan. So maybe this is as good a time as any to strengthen our efforts there," Mr Jimenez said, adding that now may be the time to reallocate resources accordingly. Mr Jimenez was clear that the Chinese will always be very welcome in the Philippines and hopes the dispute will be resolved quickly. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | SHANGHAI - Chinese tourist numbers to the Philippines are dropping as the ongoing territorial dispute continues over Huangyan Island in the South China Sea. Many Chinese travel agencies have halted tours to the Philippines, which China accuses of "making trouble" in the waters around the disputed island for over a month. A department manager surnamed Zhang with China International Travel Service (CITS) said the company started to see a decrease in tour applications to the Philippines at the end of April and the number dropped dramatically at the beginning of May. Before the Huangyan dispute, the company used to organize eight to 10 tourist groups to the Philippines per month and each group was composed of about 20 Chinese, according to Zhang. The Chinese travel agency Ctrip.com has also stopped organizing tours to the Philippines and is persuading those who have booked independent and semi-independent traveling to the archipelago to cancel their plans. The company has promised to totally refund the tickets of those who cancel their trips. He Yong, a department manager of Ctrip, said about 300 tourists have been affected. Yang Yanfeng, researcher with China Tourism Academy, said safety is the precondition for tourism, and Chinese agencies' suspension of tours in the face of threats is a timely and rational response that reflects their strong sense of social responsibility. Airlines are also facing economic losses. Airport authorities in Shanghai told Xinhua that from May 1 to 15, some 2,600 tourists flew from Shanghai to the Philippines, while the number was more than 4,100 during the same period last month. China Eastern Airlines said it had canceled its non-scheduled service to the Philippines and arranged no flights to the country during the past half month. China's Southern Airlines has also announced that it will reduce its flights to the Philippines in May and June. Tourism Impacted China alleges that in early April the Philippines sent a warship to harass 12 Chinese fishing vessels that had sailed into the island's waters to seek shelter from a bad weather. The month-long tensions over Huangyan Island prompted China's National Tourism Administration to issue a travel warning last Thursday calling on Chinese tourism operators to postpone tours to the Philippines. Almost all Chinese participating in group tours are expected to return to China by May 16, as that is the final contract day for the remaining groups of Chinese tourists currently traveling in the Philippines, an unidentified official with the administration said Sunday. The drop in Chinese tourists to the Southeast Asian nation is likely to have a big impact on the Philippines' tourist industry. Manager Zhang with the CITS said many local agencies in the Philippines are extremely worried about the current situation and have asked the CITS to make more efforts to promote tours to the Philippines. Yu Weihua, manager of the overseas travel department of the Shanghai China Travel International Ltd., said the suspension of tours will have a far-reaching effect on the Philippines. "It is unlike suspensions caused by natural disasters, which can be resumed when the disaster is over," he said. "Many Chinese tourists who had given up their tours to the Philippines are driven by a sense of patriotism, and may wait a long time to again choose the country as a tourist destination." Chinese tourist numbers to the Philippines are substantial -- ranking the fourth highest compared with other countries, after those from the Republic of Korea, the United States and Japan. Tourist arrivals from the Chinese mainland rose 78 percent in the first quarter of this year, to 96,455 or 8.4 percent of the total, according to the data from the Philippine government. Traveling to the nations' picturesque islands had become increasingly popular for Chinese, and Boracay had been an especially hot tourist destination for Shanghai tourists, Yu said. Long-term economic effects Some fear that the impact of heightened tensions over Huangyan Island will affect other areas of bilateral relations between China and the Philippines. China-Philippines trade amounted to $27.7 billion in 2010, making China the third largest trade partner of the country, and the two sides had pledged to double their trade volume to $60 billion in five years. Qu Xing, head of China Institute of International Studies, said the deterioration of the two countries' relations will certainly have negative economic effects, and the anti-Chinese sentiment in the Philippines will hurt the development of trade between the two countries. China is a great potential market for Western countries as well as the emerging economies, and losing the Chinese market will severely hurt the Philippines' economy, Qu said. As for China's impounding Philippine bananas alleged to carry pests, Qu said the move was not related to the Huangyan dispute, as China had adopted new inspection standards before the dispute arose. The newspaper Manila Standard Today said Tuesday that the Philippine Stock Exchange benchmark index dropped 1.4 percent on Monday, its sharpest decline in two months. Shi Yinhong, professor with Renmin University of China, said the economic loss that the Philippines will suffer by losing the Chinese market could be as much as that of a real war. The attitude of the Philippines decides the situation of the crisis, and hopefully, the Philippines can be rational enough to take a stand to end the dispute, Shi said. | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |
