Tourism business seen to thrive despite crisis

As long as the Philippines will insist on pushing its tourism potential, despite the declining interest of worldwide tourists to travel albeit temporarily due to the global economic meltdown, tourism related businesses are still seen to thrive.

It is for this very reason that the Cebu-based company Island's Group, will be opening pocket-convenience stores for the tourists— branded as "Islands and More" in different key tourism areas around the country.

Initially, the company has opened three stores in Cebu, located at Bigfoot Film Academy Mactan Island, and in the newly opened Microtel Cebu Resort, and fronting the Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort in Punta Engaño.

Island's Group president and chief executive officer (CEO) Jay P. Aldeguer said the business opportunity offered by the tourism sector in the Philippines, specifically Cebu is tremendous. The United States economic and financial slump, should not keep the people from being worried and fearful, as Philippines, as well as (wise) entrepreneurs could well survive in the Philippines, cultivating the "gold mine" in tourism.

This year, Aldeguer said Islands and More tourists' convenience stores will make its presence in Boracay Island, Metro Manila, and soon in Bohol.

The company is also bidding at entering the lobby shops of resorts and hotels around the country, banking on its standard pricing system, regardless of the location.

Aldeguer said there is need for the tourism retail industry, including those selling pasalubong goods to standardize the pricing system, in order not to discourage visitors.

The Philippines, although its tourism industry is maturing, support industries especially the tourism retail sector should go with the maturity of the industry, in such that prices of goods shall have uniform prices, regardless of who is buying.

He said the Islands and More, which is a sister brand of the Pasalubong Center, shall pioneer the standardization of uniform prices of all its product inventories.

"The price of our products sold in a hotel or resort lobby for instance, are the same with other outlets anywhere," Aldeguer said stressing that product prices are pegged competitively with that those displayed in supermarkets.

Islands and More pocket convenience stores are displaying all tourist-necessity products depending on the location, such branded flip-flops, fashion hats, sun blocks, magazines, beverages, and any other personal necessity products.

The Island's Group is expected to form its own holding company that will create different subsidiaries that will cater to tourism related businesses. It is geared towards registering the "Islands" brand to the Intellectual Property Rights (IPO) to build a strong brand of "Islands" that will capitalize on the tourism related businesses.

To date, Islands Group has created different subsidiary companies, including the Islands Banca Cruises, Islands Design Venture, Islands and More, Islands Pasalubong Center. Its mother company is the Islands Souvenirs Inc. (ISI).