The travel industry sees a lot of foreigners coming to the country this year with the passage of the measure removing taxes imposed on global carriers. According to the Tourism Congress and the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA), the removal of the levy would encourage more airlines to fly back to the nation and bring in more people.
With that move, a number of 5.5 million tourists are expected to visit—a statistic that is a million more than the 4.5 target on 2012. The ambitious budget set for 2013 is going to be a driving force for achieving their aim.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is planning to pursue their goals through its branding campaign project, “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” which was launched in January of last year. This was done to ensure that the rest of the world would know about what the nation has to offer in terms of leisure and recreational activities.
The DOT is also addressing runway congestion in the Philippines’ main gateway, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila. They believe that the problem has become apparent and bothersome in recent years and have to be attended to immediately, especially as domestic trips have gone to 30 million in 2013 from only 8 million in 2008.
It seems that local authorities efforts have not been in vain as it has been reported by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) that a lot of foreigners have opted to stay longer despite the negative advisories and the dispute over the Spratley Islands. From January to December of 2012, the BI office approved a total of 172,055 applications for extension of stay by foreign nationals. This is 13 percent higher than the 151,913 in 2011.
The Pearl of the Orient Seas remains to be a top holiday destination for many visitors who are choosing to stay longer not only for vacation purposes but also for investment and business opportunities.
All of the facts stated above show that now is a wonderful time for you to start a venture in the country’s tourism industry. As more people from different corners of the globe discover these emerald isles, an enterprise catering to their needs would only profit and grow.
Now, it is your choice what kind of business you would like to establish here. It could be for transport, food, or even tours. Just make sure that you study the local culture, learn more about the processes, and do what you can to make your establishment prosper.
About the Author
Regus is an enterprise that offers serviced offices Manila, Cebu, and other locations to clients from all over the country and even across the globe.