Tourism industry vibrant despite 'Ondoy,' 'Pepeng' devastation

MANILA, Philippines - Local tourism remains vibrant despite the devastation caused by typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” because only one of the country’s top 15 tourist destinations sustained damage, the Department of Tourism reported yesterday.

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said tourism facilities in Baguio City suffered only “minimal damage.” The influx of tourists slowed down because of damaged roads.

“Even the affected destination, Baguio, bore minimal damage to its tourism facilities. Tourism slowdown in that area was due to rerouting and impassable roads which have been cleared as operations had been underway right after Pepeng left,” Durano said.

He said the industry is resilient despite the storms that battered Metro Manila and Northern Luzon because most hotels and tourism facilities were spared.

Several groups of international tour operators have already started arriving in the country to view new destinations.

Last week, a group of German tour and travel operators checked the new hotels and resorts in Bicol, Bohol, Boracay, Marinduque, and Palawan in preparation for the coming winter holiday.

Eighty percent of income generated from the German market comes from the travel and tours group Deutscher ReiseVerband (DRV), one of the largest travel groups worldwide. 

“Germans always land as the top travelers in the world. They take their vacations seriously, planning early and researching their destinations well. And DRV happens to be one of the most influential travel groups worldwide,” added Durano.

Over the weekend, delegates of four Chinese government tourism units arrived to promote a mutual cooperation on tourism development between China and the Philippines.

These are the China National Tourism Administration, Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration, Sheijang Provincial Tourism Bureau, and Jiangsu Provincial Tourism Bureau.

Capital Tours (CT), a Russian firm with a network of 7,000 travel agencies from Russia and neighboring Commonwealth of Independent States, has also expressed interest in expanding the Philippines’ tourism portfolio in the Russian market.

“Russians are eager to spend the long winter at your country’s tropical islands,” said CT General Director Inna Beltyukova.

In November, the DOT is expecting a visit from more than 100 French tour operators and travel agents from tour groups Jet Tours, Vacances Transat, Asia Voyages and Visiteurs en Asie.