Philippines Visited by 3 Million Tourist in 2009

About three million tourists visited the Philippines last year, two million less than the 5 million target.

In a statement, Department of Tourism (DOT) Undersecretary Oscar Payabyab said that the lower projection, he explained, was due to the contraction of outbound tourist traffic in the country’s usual market, particularly Japan and Korea. However, the decrease was made up the increase arrival of Chinese and Taiwanese tourists.

Usec. Payabyab admitted that the recent calamities had a negative effect on the tourism industry. “Baguio City, for instance, lost over 2,000 domestic tourists since it had to forego hosting the [21st Philippine] Advertising Congress because of the flooding and landslides,” he said.

Among local destinations, the Queen City of the South, Cebu City, drew the biggest number of visitors followed by Camarines Sur. The third most favored destination was Baguio City and the rest of the Cordillera Autonomous Region followed by Bohol and Palawan.

Despite the global financial crisis, tourist arrival statistics did not project negative digits primarily due to the positive role of local media and holiday economics. The media was able to highlight the beautiful destinations in the country and through reports, warned tourists where violent incidents occur. On the other hand, holiday economics enabled workers to plan their vacations for the long weekend ahead.

Meanwhile, Malacanang associated the stable tourism growth to better infrastructure, liberalized airline industry, and improved tourism facilities.

From 2004 to August of 2009, P555 billion worth of investment went to the development of transportation, tourism eco-zones, accommodation and other related facilities. The liberalization of the airline industry has resulted in the opening of air routes to and from major tourist markets, including Incheon, Busan, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Kaohsiung. Tourism-related infrastructure projects such as construction of hotels and other facilities have also made the Philippines as a viable destination to foreign tourists.

---

BiyahengPinas.com thanks the following sources for this article:
Inquirer.net. 3 million tourists visit RP in 2009. (Posted January 3, 2010) Retrieved January 4, 2010 from
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20100103-245257/3-million-tourists-visit-RP-in-2009

Hermitanio, Maui, Philippine Online Chronicles. Improved infra lured 3 million tourists to RP in 2009. (Posted January 3, 2010) Retrieved January 4, 2010 from
http://www.thepoc.net/breaking-news/local/3432-improved-infra-lured-3-million-tourists-to-rp-in-2009.html

Philippine Information Agency. Tourists flock to RP in 2009 with improved facilities (Posted January 2, 2010) Retrieved January 4, 2010 from
http://pia.gov.ph/?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p100102.htm&no=02

Good News Pilipinas. 3 million tourists visit RP in 2009. (Posted December 31, 2009) Retrieved January 4, 2010 from
http://goodnewspilipinas.com/?p=9783

Gonzales, Mia, Business Mirror. DOT expects flat growth for tourism in ’09 (Posted December 30, 2009) Retrieved January 4, 2010 from
http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/economy/20342-dot-expects-flat-growth-for-tourism-in-09.html

Philstar.com bares Christmas Celebrity Run 2009

Celebrating a more meaningful Christmas this year, philstar.com is calling online community members, lifestyle aficionados, sports enthusiasts and race buffs to join the Christmas Celebrity Run 2009 on December 20, 2009 at the Fort Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

“We invite everyone to celebrate the yuletide season with us and support our campaign to connect Philippine public high schools to the world by joining Christmas Celebrity Run 2009,” said philstar.com General Manager Katrina-Sandejas Mañosa.

The event was designed as a venue where philstar.com online community members can interact with celebrities, who share the same passion for running, healthy lifestyle, online literacy and charity work.

Heading the celebrity roster, according to Manosa, are Christine Jacob-Sandejas, Maricel Laxa, Anthony Pangilinan, Gary Valenciano, Rovilson Fernandez, Marc Nelson, Claudine Barreto, Raymart Santiago, KC Concepcion, Piolo Pascual and Drew Arellano. Business tycoons Jaime and Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Fred Uytengsu and Lance Gokongwei are likewise expected to put on their running gear during the event.

Special prizes await the top three runners in the male and female divisions of the 3-kilometer, 5-kilometer, and 10-kilometer races. In the 21-kilometer race, two winners will be chosen (one male and one female) in each of the five divisions: 18-25 years old, 26-30 years old, 31-29 years old, Male (40 and above) and Female (35 and above). More prizes await those who come in costumes looking like celebrities. Three participants will be named Best in costume (Celebrity Look-a-like).

“More than the social and healthy benefits of running, philstar.com’s Christmas Celebrity Run 2009 will also help fund the computerization program of GILAS (Gearing up Internet Literacy and Access for Students), a multi-sectoral initiative spearheaded by the Ayala Foundation program,” Ms. Mañosa explained “This is in line with our corporate social responsibility of nurturing not just the online community but helping spread online literacy as well.”

Initially scheduled Oct. 11, the race was postponed to give way to relief, clean-up and rehabilitation efforts in Taguig, one of the urban areas badly hit by tropical storm Ondoy last Sept. 26.

The philstar.com Christmas Celebrity Run 2009 is sponsored by Adidas, Yahoo! Philippines, E-Games, Brazilian Agaricus 8-in-1 Herbal Coffee, Crocs, Nutribar, SMART Communications, Inc., Coppertone, Aqua Blue, Sport Beans, Timex, Chris Sports, Vitwater, Mizuno, Paul Calvin's Deli, McKinley Hill, and One Tagaytay Place, Action and Fitness Magazine, Men’s Health Philippines, Women’s Health Philippines, Magic 89.9, AXN-Asia, Jack TV, Jobstreet, Chikka, People Asia, The Philippine STAR, NU 107, and takbo.ph.

For more information, contact project director Mr. Ian Alacar at (63929) 6496762 or philstar.com at (632) 527-6856, email marketing@philstar.com, or visit www.philstar.com.