Home away from home

Tourism arrivals went up last year, from 3.9 million in 2011 to 4.27 million, despite grousing by P-Noy that China was a spoilsport in the business. 

The 4.27 million is still small compared to the 2012 arrivals in our neighbors Malaysia (25 million), Thailand (14.5 million) and Vietnam (6.84 million). Tiny Singapore had about the same number as Thailand while Cambodia is closing in on us with about 3.5 million visitors last year. But it looks like our nation is on track to get 10 million visitors by 2016, as targeted by the government.

One question P-Noy should ask is where those 10 million visitors will be housed. Not all travelers want to stay in a thatched hut with a cot and no air-conditioning, with only a net between them and giant mosquitoes, even if the mountain or ocean view is spectacular.

It’s good that the Department of Tourism is reworking the rating system for hotels across the country.

Tourism industry players have complained that their clients, especially those from other countries, have been disappointed by Philippine accommodations that fall short of their expectations based on the star rating system.

Even with the star rating brought up to global standards, there’s still that lack of comfortable accommodations.

Expats and short-term foreign visitors here have a common complaint: we have world-class natural attractions but not enough world-class accommodations. Regular visitors have noticed that few new upscale hotels have been built even in Metro Manila since 1986.

A diplomat from a country where the tourism industry is a top revenue earner told me we have enough backpacker accommodations and should quickly develop tourism infrastructure catering to the high-end or at least upper-middle income travel market.

In addition to the lack of upscale accommodations, the diplomat groused, our backpacker facilities are overpriced.

Certain local major players in the travel industry have made similar observations.

We do have some high-end tourism facilities, such as in Amanpulo, Palawan, but most of our top tourist destinations still lack accommodations where travelers can feel so pampered in the lap of luxury they no longer want to leave.

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China, for example, has invited known foreign chains and designers to build such accommodations near some of its ancient villages, starting with those declared as World Heritage Sites. The luxurious, well-guarded villas, with mountain or other nature views, are designed like the traditional sites, but with all the amenities of modern life: high-speed Internet (some content blocked, of course), satellite TV (ditto), top-of-the-line baths and spas.

Faced with serious pollution problems, the Chinese correctly believe tourism can be an eco-friendly, high-value alternative to their coal-powered manufacturing industries.

This is important especially with the Chinese industrial engine now stalling because of rising labor and other production costs plus the country’s disputes with nations that are home to some of the world’s largest investors. 

Villages in China are now being encouraged to focus on their unique attractions and products. A tourism marketing program is then woven around those strengths.

The program typically involves the construction of at least one hotel no lower than four-star, near communities where the village heritage is preserved in the architecture, civil works, arts and crafts.

In strategic areas, the integrated tourism program also includes the expansion of existing airport facilities or construction of new ones near the main tourist destination, with a modern road link.

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The private sector in our country at least is seeing growth opportunities and investing in tourism infrastructure.

Last night property giant Ayala Land Inc.  formally opened its luxury Fairmont and Raffles hotels and residences at the heart of Makati. Ayala Land is going aggressively into this sector. Considering the reputation of the company, this is good news for the tourism industry.

Ayala is already operating InterContinental Manila and Cebu Marriott. Next month the 349-room Holiday Inn and Suites Makati will open at Ayala Center.

Ayala also operates the upscale El Nido resort network in Palawan, covering the islands of Lagen, Miniloc, Apulit and Pangalusian. Ayala Land president and CEO Tony Aquino told us the other day that the company intends to develop more affordable tourist accommodations in mixed-use, leisure complexes along the coasts of main islands while keeping higher-end facilities on smaller, exclusive islets.

Aquino had earlier said Ayala wanted to develop tourism estates similar to those found in popular destinations abroad such as Bali in Indonesia and Phuket in Thailand. Ayala intends to double its land bank for tourism estate development to 1,000 hectares and expand its hotel portfolio up to 4,000 units within two to three years. The company is developing a 320-hectare leisure complex in Anvaya Cove in Bataan.

Last December the company launched a chain of boutique hotels called Seda – one in Bonifacio Global City and another in Cagayan de Oro. This year more boutique hotels will be opened in Laguna and Davao.

Aquino told us the hotel facilities would be integrated into mixed-use community complexes servicing the needs of locals and visitors alike.

With Ayala Land setting the pace, perhaps other private investors will follow, and our countryside will boom. And no cheating on hotel star ratings.

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Apart from accommodations, the government will have to address other concerns long raised by visitors.

A guy I presume to be an American but writing from an address in London, who says he has been visiting the Philippines for the past 20 years, wrote to comment that our country is not ready for an influx of American tourists.

Among his observations: Compared to other Asiatic cities such as Bangkok, Singapore or Hong Kong, Terminal 1 is terrible. There are queues for passport control; at the exit taxi touts and there is always chaos at the meeting area which is reached by an awkward slope. Taxi drivers on seeing foreigners are apt to pretend that their meters are not working so they will offer a “special” price of 600 pesos. To an American, 600 pesos for a taxi ride is nothing and do not realize the real fare is 200 pesos at the most.

When tourists arrive at their destinations, he wrote, “…a good hotel on a beach with white sand and luscious vegetation they will be all right, but it is a long way to go with expensive air fares when they have Bermuda, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and other islands on their doorsteps.”

We can do more to make visiting our country memorable in the best way. Providing the needs of all types of travelers is a growth area for job-generating investments.

We can start by offering visitors comfortable homes away from home.