[ Manila Bulletin Online ] October 28, 2008
Boasting of a tropical climate and breathtaking natural attractions, the Department of Tourism (DoT) is aggressively campaigning the Philippines to be one of the preferred destinations for long-staying Japanese guests in the world.
Ace Durano, Secretary of Tourism emphasized, "The Philippines remains a perfect destination for long-staying Japanese tourists, because of the country’s secure environment. The natural attractions of the country also serve as ideal vacation sites for these guests who usually have more leisure time in their hands."
Long-staying Japanese guests refer to travelers who stay in one country on an average of two weeks to six months. These are mostly seniors aged 50 and above, who are seeking relaxation and a retirement haven.
A report from Japan-based non-government organization Long Stay Foundation (LSF) said the number of potential long-stay tourists has increased by 6 percent to 351,988 thousand as of end-2007. In 2006, long stay tourists only reached 331,322. The population of long-stay visitors is also expected to increase.
Most long-stay visitors choose a specific destination that has secure environment, lower cost of goods, reasonable housing cost, sufficient infrastructure and natural attractions among others, the LSF also reported.
In 2007, the Philippines was ranked as the 7th most favorite country for long-staying visitors, along with other Asian countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.
The country was said to be among the destinations with impressive real estate facilities for long stay programs and a government agency mandated to devote its resources and efforts in these programs.
Other preferred destinations include Australia, New Zealand, US Mainland and Hawaii, Canada, Spain and the United Kingdom. "The Philippines certainly meets all the requirements to become a preferred long-stay destination; so we are capitalizing on these strengths and we are continuously improving our services to encourage more guests to visit the country," Undersecretary for Tourism Planning and Promotions Eduardo Jarque, Jr., noted.
"While the Japan outbound travel market continues to shrink, the long-stay segment is increasing, offering a lot of opportunities to the country," Jarque stressed. Dir. Benito Bengzon Jr, DOT Team Japan Head meantime stressed that the DOT’s campaign geared towards this niche market, is crucial to the Philippines tourism campaign.
"The long-stay visitors and the active seniors are among the DOT’s priority segments we are focusing on to further increase the number of Japanese travelers to the Philippines. We are actively seeking the support of the Long Stay Foundation to promote the Philippines as an ideal destination," Bengzon added.
This year, the DOT expects Japanese tourist arrivals to slightly grow to 400,000 despite an on-going decline in the Japan outbound travel market worldwide.
It also participated in the recent JATA World Travel Fair at the Tokyo Big Sight to lure more Japanese guests. Bengzon further noted that the long-stay segment poses significant economic contribution to the country since they spend more during their visit in the Philippines.
The DOT disclosed that most long-stay guests avail of packages or monitored tours for possible prolonged visit and they spend an average of 100,000 to 150,000 yen each.
"The economic potential of this market is significant since it will benefit various industries, such as hotels, restaurants, and medical establishments, among others. This is a very important segment for us," Bengzon added. (BCM)
