By Aleksander Egeberg
The question of whether the Philippines needs more tourists is not really the right one. Of course, the Philippines needs more tourists – many, many more. But not just simply tourists, but especially solvent foreign tourists. Increasing the share of solvent Western tourists would strengthen the Philippine economy by raising tourism revenue per capita, encouraging professional service standards, and fostering sustainable tourism growth rather than volume-based tourism alone. Solvent Western tourists would be vital for the economy because they spend more, stay longer, and demand higher standards - driving job creation, infrastructure improvement, and global competitiveness while reducing dependence on low-budget mass tourism.
It would lift an enormous number of Filipinos out of poverty.
Tourism is an internationally highly competitive market. To attract more foreign tourists -- especially affluent visitors from Western countries -- the Philippines needs a highly professional promotion campaign. An excellent example would be Turkey’s successful promotional campaign with CNN.
But in tourism, unlike politics, it is crucial that what is promised is truly provided. Disappointed visitors simply do not return. Solvent foreign tourists are very demanding people who, on the other hand can spend a lot of money during their precious vacation time -- but only in return for appropriate quality and value. In my view, the Philippines can offer this only to a very limited extent. This is especially the fact in the underdeveloped countryside.
So why should solvent Western tourists choose the Philippines? Their hard-earned money is welcomed everywhere -- Turkey, Italy, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, just to name a few. What is the incentive to come here?
Spoiled foreign tourists (and I mean here primarily Western tourists) expect very high standards. They want to stay in clean, stylish boutique hotel/resorts but for reasonable prices. They want to enjoy their time in impressively styled wine/champagne bars and facilities. Atmosphere is of utmost importance. And above all, they want refined cuisine. Unhealthy pork stuff will not impress them at all; on the contrary, they prefer the so-called Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and moderate amounts of fish and poultry and balanced nutrition, with a focus on natural, minimally processed foods and a lifestyle that includes physical activity. The Philippines is surrounded by water; that is what they expect, like, for instance, what Thailand offers so excellently.
But what about the Philippines?
Outside of Manila, Cebu, and few resort hubs, you’ll mostly find fast food, simply local eateries (carenderias) and very few genuinely upscale or creative restaurants along highways or in provincial towns. Where can you find, for instance, something like the delicious Peruvian sandwiches, like pan con chicharron or butifarra?
And foreign visitors want to stroll around, sit in chic outdoor cafes, drink cappuccino in a relaxed, quiet and clean environment, free of garbage and waste.
It looks like there is a lack of understanding for this target group. First, one must understand who is coming and what expectations they have. Stressed foreign tourists are expecting a calm and relaxing atmosphere/environment where they can recover from the pressures of their working lives at home. They do not travel thousands of kilometers to be forced to listen to uncontrolled karaoke and deafening bass from monster speakers that shake entire neighborhoods.
A SunStar columnist recently expressed it most elegantly: “Silence is courtesy -- it is the sound of respect.” Unfortunately, this courtesy is routinely violated until early morning hours by inconsiderate people. Even a highly respected politician like Cebu City Vice Mayor Osmeña recently spoke out strongly against rampant noise pollution and called for drastic measures, such as 24/7 silence.
And last but not least, foreign tourists don’t want to be cheated and ripped off either.
Unfortunately, some shameless taxi drivers, again some, see foreign tourists as cash cows, easy to milk, by demanding excessive fares. I do not want to generalize this, but it happens, and this can be the impressions a foreign tourist takes away from a vacation in the Philippines.
If the Philippines truly wants more solvent foreign (Western) tourists, it will be a long way to go. But first of all, it needs a plan and vision.