Phl must use mobile tech to boost tourism — experts

CEBU, Philippines - Filipinos should further explore how mobile technology can make the Philippines more attractive to the world’s growing number of “connected” travelers, tech experts said.

During the 2nd Asian Business Conference organized recently by the Asian Institute of Management, Google industry manager Charly Atienza said technology is becoming more present in the different stages of travel – from dreaming and researching to booking, experiencing, and finally sharing these experiences. She said a recent survey of travelers from 11 Asian countries showed that 87percent of them began their trips by doing online research, while 51percent completed their bookings online. 

These findings underscore the importance of harnessing technology to attract more tourists, Atienza said.

“People say there’s now an app for everything but in reality, there are still a lot of opportunities for Filipino application developers to address the unique needs of people traveling in the Philippines,” said Nooky Umali, service delivery platform manager of wireless leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart).

Umali said Pinoys should take inspiration from the likes of Uber and Airbnb which provide innovative transportation and accommodation services.

“We must do this if we want to capture a bigger chunk of the world’s travelers, who are increasingly relying on the Internet and mobile devices to fulfill their needs,” Umali said at the sidelines of the conference. 

The potential for tourism growth is tremendous, with the World Tourism Organization estimating that international tourist arrivals would reach 1.8 billion by 2030. However, recent figures from the World Travel and Tourism Council indicate that the Philippines needs to work hard to keep up with its neighbors in terms of tourism competitiveness.

The country’s tourism contributions to gross domestic product in 2013 was $30.3 billion, far below the contributions of Indonesia ($80.8 billion), Thailand ($78.1 billion), and Malaysia ($50.3 billion).

“Pinoy techies must do their part in helping the tourism sector by creating apps that would make traveling even more fun in the Philippines,” Umali said. “It’s a good thing that apps, which used to take years to be developed, can now be created and launched in a matter of days.”

Umali added that Smart has opened its backend systems to allow developers to create web and mobile apps that leverage on network capabilities such as SMS, MMS, voice, and operator billing.

Smart has also supported various tourism initiatives, including the Digital Tourism project of Cebu-based startup InnoPub Media, which involves the creation and installation of Quick Response (QR) codes and Near Field Communication (NFC) stickers on tourist sites. When scanned or tapped via a mobile device, these direct users to a website containing more information about the site or structure, including photos and videos. 

Another component of the project is the development of tourism guide apps for Sinulog, Baguio, and Iloilo, as well as the creation of the Cebu and Sinulog eGuidebooks. Available to iPhone, Android, and Kindle users, these ebooks contain articles on must-try food, fun activities, nice hotels, and interesting places in Cebu. (FREEMAN)