PHILIPPINE TOURISM GROWING AT UNPRECEDENTED RATE

Philippine Tourism Growth Rate At A Glance
By: Teddy Cho

The Philippine Tourism Department is gearing up for 10 million foreign visitors and about 35.5 million domestic tourists arrival by the  year 2016. As of the latest counting the country registered 2,433,438 international visitors in the First half  of 2014, this represents a growth rate of 2.22 percent compared to last year (2013) volume of 2,380,593 foreign visitors arrivals in the first half of 2013.

Average occupancy rate among Metro Manila Hotels in 2013 is 67.20 percent wherein hotel accommodations for deluxe rooms was availed at an average of  70.82 percent. An average length stay of foreigners were listed at 2.5days( in nights).National Capital Region (NCR) is still on top with 1,751,191 millions  foreign guests among the lists in the overnight stay in accommodations establishments as of 2013.

Coming in second is Region VII (Central Visayas) with 1,351,285 millions checking as overnight guests in accommodation establishments. However, domestic guests in Region V (Bicol) region ranks the first overnight guest accommodated establishments in 2013.

Foreign visitors arrival in 2013 has been estimated at 4,681,307 compared to the 2012 statistics with 4,272,811 visitors an increased of  9.56 percent higher than the previous visits last year. Topping the lists of foreign visitors are the Koreans with 1,165, 789 visitors. While American visitors came in second with a volume of 674,564 visitors as of 2013. . Purpose of visits according to the  A/D Cards  and shipping manifests data is for the holiday reasons which yielded an average of 59.58 percent. Business came in as a second reason  (9.86 percent). Other data recorded not specified reasons is represented at  26.13 percent much higher than the business purpose.

Statistics release by the Dept. of Tourism (DOT) which launch the  "Philippine Tourism is good for ASEAN tourism. Now campaigning " Visit Philippines Year 2015", calendar of events promoting  the historical and cultural treasures, rich biodiversity, world heritage sites and different design in commercial shopping complex. The twinning or the twin city packages was presented to 350 tour operators with the objective of creating "ASEAN HUB" in the country, thus creating an easy travel plan in the light of ASEAN tourism integration. The tourism sector now is a $ 4.8 billion dollar industry, the question is are we prepared for the ASEAN tourism integration? With its P 265 billion national tourism blueprint, a country stands to gain in terms of labor and employment generation. (VerGarciaBlogs)