Tuesday, December 02, 2008 [ manilatimes.net ]
TOURISM Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano admitted Monday the country might not be able to attract five million tourists by 2010 because of recession in some countries.
Durano admitted the 2010 target could only be reached if the economies of the United States and Japan make a quick recovery.
Asked as to how many tourists they are expecting in 2010 because of the worldwide recession, Durano said it would be four million at the most. The country attracted about three million tourists in 2007.
This year, the Tourism secretary expects a 5-percent to 6-percent increase in foreign tourists arriving in the country.
Durano earlier set a five-million target for tourist arrivals by 2010, which is when his stint as tourism chief ends.
This prompted players in the tourism industry to call on its members to rally behind Durano in coming up with measures to boost the chances of the industry’s survival amid the imminent global financial crisis.
Robert Lim Joseph, chairman emeritus of the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies or Naitas said that players in the tourism industry are actively looking for ways to overcome the effects of the world economic slowdown, as the industry may soon be facing a sink-or-swim situation.
“Politics and narrow personal interests should be set aside for the moment,” he said.
He said tourism stakeholders in other countries have started to adopt measures to weather the global crisis and to rally behind the flag is always a first good step.
Durano, however, said South Korea is about to be affected by a recession too. That is bad news because Koreans comprise the largest number of tourists visiting the country.
On a brighter note, more Chinese tourists are coming to the country, because of the direct flights from Shanghai to Cebu.-- Francis Earl A. Cueto
