About 20 tourism movers and players from Central Europe offered invaluable insights on how to further improve tourism services in the Philippines including concerns on connectivity, training and marketing and promotions.
Agency Supply and Partnerships of Evaneos head Arnauld Devanley underscored the need for more tour guides who could speak more international languages. “I can say the Philippines is coming back,” he said at the sidelines of the ITB Berlin 2023 in Germany.
Ultramarina France managing director Gerard Carnot said that the Philippines has become more appealing to the French market.
“French divers love the Philippines. What’s amazing in the destination is the variety of what we can do, and we want you to work more on that. It’s really good, thank you for coming all the way from the Philippines to Europe. It counts a lot for us, it really means that you are invested in what you do,” he said.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco apprised participants of the plans and programs of the department for the German market, including the Overwintering Program of the DOT. She said Cebu, Palawan and Bohol are among the favorite destinations of German tourists
“We are aiming to invite more German nationals to our shores. After almost three years of setbacks and the global pandemic among the hosts of other calamities, we can finally say the worst is almost over. We flourished and we have survived and now the Philippines is thriving and ready for your partnership. [We’re] ready to receive all of you and the tourists that you would like to bring into our country,” Frasco said.
Data from the DOT showed that arrivals from Germany reached 39,013 in 2022, while tourists from France, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium totaled 23,949; 19,306; 11,092 and 8,964, respectively.
The DOT reported that the German visitor in the Philippines stayed an average of 14.50 nights per visit, mostly for purposes of leisure and business. Germany is the Philippines’ 11th biggest market for tourism in 2022.
The Philippine Retirement Agency, an attached agency of the DOT, said Germany is also the 9th biggest source market of the Philippines for retirees.
Frasco assured the attendees that the tourism industry is a priority under the Marcos administration, particularly on the aspects of connectivity, human capital development and peace and security.
“Our president is very serious in ensuring that the gains that have been made as far as peace and security are sustained. Soon, the Philippine Department of Tourism will be entering into a memorandum of agreement with the Department of National Defense and Department of Interior and Local Government for purposes of ensuring that the bedrock of our development of tourism is peace and security,” she said.