Tags: Tourism
By Manny Ilagan, DoT L.A.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – The recently concluded Pinoy Homecoming Roadshow by the Department of Tourism (DoT) gained solid traction in North America, with its every stop met with great enthusiasm among Filipino-American crowds.
With Presidential Proclamation 181 declaring 2011-2016 as “Pinoy Homecoming Years”, the DoT expects to attract more Filipino expatriates to travel to the homeland, reconnect with their families, re-learn their culture, and rediscover the beauty of the Philippines.
DoT Secretary Alberto Lim points out that third-generation Filipino immigrants in other countries are not keen on their Filipino culture and heritage, a challenge he admits his agency faces in its campaign.
“My job is to bring as many visitors as possible to the Philippines. The opportunity market is you, the Fil-Ams, because you are already pre-disposed to come home,” Lim told Filipinos in Los Angeles.
“But maybe not your children or grandchildren; they don’t have the same loving feeling that you do and we would like to spread that feeling to the younger generations.”
Before the Los Angeles leg, the DoT chief and his entourage barnstormed New York, Chicago, Toronto, and Las Vegas. Their last stop was in San Francisco.
On the Las Vegas leg of the trip last June 27, Lim was joined by Senator Franklin Drilon. Both officials were impressed by the large turnout of attendees.
“This is the biggest and the most enthusiastic gathering. It is my hope that one day you will return home to fi nd what you have been looking for. I am deeply moved by your deep allegiance to the homeland, “ said Sen. Drilon.
“Indeed, we miss you all back home. We want you reunited with your families and friends.”
Drilon noted that last year, just over 600,000 Filipino balikbayans came to visit the country.
“I would like to assure you that you are in the heart of our national policies. Hence, the years 2011-2016 have been declared as Pinoy Homecoming Years. Indeed, you are the core of these policies.”
“Back home, when we say that overseas Filipinos are our modern heroes, we mean every word of it. No less than $17 billion dollars was remitted last year and it kept our economy afloat,” Drilon reported.
The goal of the Pinoy Homecoming campaign is to book a 25 percent increase in visitor arrivals from the United States and Canada. DoT expects a substantial growth in the tourism industry in the next five years.
The tourism agency is eyeing 6.3 million tourist arrivals every year starting in 2016 and beyond.
Lim also reported that government infrastructure in places frequented by visitors have been considerably improved. He added that to improve access and connectivity, the government is pushing for rapid expansion of secondary international airports.
He singled out Laoag, Clark, Subic, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and Zamboanga as possible gateways in to ease out the air traffic at the main Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Top domestic tourist destinations for 22.8 million Filipinos since 2009 are Metro Manila, Camarines Sur, Cebu, Davao City, Cagayan Valley, Baguio, Boracay, Zambales, Puerto Princesa, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Camiguin Island and Ilocos Norte.
On the other hand, the Philippines’ Top Five foreign markets, according to rank for the first four months of 2011, are South Korea (286,018), USA (229,200), Japan (129,223), China(71,113) and Australia (56,681).
This year, DOT is hoping to bring in 764,580 visitors from the US, with 58 percent foreseen to be Filipino-Americans; 134,904 visitors from Canada (60 percent of which may be Filipino-Canadians).
A projected P22-billion in revenue is expected to be gained from these groups. Apart from the expected revenue from balikbayans, Proclamation 181 also aims to encourage local tourism by providing affordable travel opportunities for Filipinos.
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