EDITORIAL - Untapped potential

A cruise ship docked for two days until yesterday in the Port of Manila, in time for its 515 passengers to witness the biggest religious festival in the Philippines, the Feast of the Black Nazarene. The city government wants to promote the annual event as a major tourist attraction. This effort will get a boost if a cruise port can be developed in Manila.

In other countries, ship cruises are among the biggest contributors to tourism. To promote such visits, governments provide private cruise operators what the business needs: ports designed specifically for cruise tourism.

Cruise ports are found in the world’s top tourist destinations. The ports are commercial, entertainment and cultural hubs featuring a nation’s best, with dining areas, souvenir shops, art galleries and interactive museums.

In 2013, Cruise Market Watch ranked three ports in Florida as the world’s top cruise ports. Based on amounts spent at port calls by passengers and crew, Miami earned $605.3 million; Fort Lauderdale, $500.9 million, and Port Canaveral, $493.2 million. The Spanish city of Barcelona ranked fourth with $382.3 million in earnings, followed by Civitavecchia, Italy with $373 million. Rounding out the top 10 were Nassau in the Bahamas; Cozumel, Mexico; Venice, Italy; Southampton, England, and Galveston, Texas. Nassau topped the list in terms of cruise visitors, drawing nearly 3.5 million tourists, followed by Cozumel with about three million.

With 7,107 islands, the Philippines should have developed cruise ports at least in key cities a long time ago. Every region has something unique to offer visitors. The ports can also serve as jump-off points for island hopping – a substantial source of earnings in places such as the Maldives.

Cruise port development must be complemented by efficient public safety programs. The last thing Philippine tourism needs is a cruise ship or island hopping boat being waylaid by pirates and kidnappers. The cruise ports themselves must be well policed, with CCTVs unlike at the NAIA, to keep out snatchers and other troublemakers.

The natural attractions and potential are there. If the country wants more visitors, it must put its best foot forward. The welcome mat, enticing and comfortable, must be laid out at the ports of entry.