When Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim made it clear that there is "a long climb to get back into the game of tourism." he added optimistically, that with the new government's wave of reforms, there is a "new shine on our country's brand."
He pointed out the irony of the fact that just as tourism is on the way up, there are problems with the Philippines Airlines. He would like to see the aviation industry strengthened and an increase in domestic air service. Terminals need to be improved to attract tourists. 3.3 million arrivals are expected this year, while troubled Thailand is getting 14 million and Malaysia leads the region with 23 million. The Philippines, the secretary urges, must make tourism more competitive. Here are some points of his program.
First of course, the "weakest link to progress" is adequate infrastructure. Fortunately, upgrading infrastructure is a priority with the new administration and the new tourism law provides a framework for public-private partnership.
One of the things that the Secretary thinks has held back tourism in the past in the habitual promotion of "sun, sand, and sea" which is available in other Asian countries, as well as in Europe. To compete, the Philippines must market what is unique about this country, from its discovery by Magellan through its Spanish colonial period, the American years, wartime occupation, and present independent and robust democracy. Many of the old Spanish churches remain intact to be visited, as do the Muslim mosques in the South. On Corregidor Island, veterans and their families can visit, for a day or overnight, and see the world's only standing remains of a World War II military compound. The Samar-Leyte area offers both dramatic WWII history and fine beaches.
With limited budget to work with, the Department of Tourism (DoT) is concentrating its marketing and promotion on the Internet and thus reaching key markets around the world. It is also challenging LGUs in all the regions to upgrade their accommodations and promote their specialties, whether it is cuisine, historic landmarks, or dive sites.
Maybe, he need to refocus for now the weakness of link in Philippine is tourism Safety and security which Olsen & Cassee (1996) identified one of the five global forces that would drive the tourism industry in the new millennium. Many tourists who stay in a country or hotel at any destination might be vulnerable to robbery, assault, rape, larceny, Kidnapped and fire within the premises.
Most People are concerned with safety and security as the incidence of perceived violence increases. The issue of security came forcefully to the attention of hotel operators in the United States in 1976 when a well-known singer was raped at knifepoint in a Long Island motel. The $2.5 million awarded to the victim by the jury underlined the concern of hotel operators for potentially huge losses, should similar incidents occur in their properties. In the last few decades, hotels and their guests have increasingly fallen victims to serious crime (Powers & Barrows, 1999). The U.S. courts have established security standards which state that if a hospitality establishment’s manager should be able to foresee danger to any guest, then the manager is required to take reasonable steps to deal with the danger otherwise he will be held liable in a court of law (Chon & Sparrowe, 1995).
A hostage taking by an ex policeman is a double WHAM bad publicity where tourist are victimised that could tarnish a country image and might result in potential great financial losses. In Singapore tourism framework Safety and security was identified as one of the seven strategic thrusts in the strategic growth plan for the period between 1993 and 1995 (Singapore Tourist Promotion Board, 1993).
