Tourism
From The Report: Philippines 2021
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Tourism played a central role in the Philippines’ economic development in the years leading to 2020, and an increasing emphasis on sustainability underscores the sector’s importance for the coming years. While the popular island of Boracay has long drawn tourists, local authorities continue work to diversify destinations through the creation of tourism enterprise zones. These endeavours, as well as those aimed at widening source markets, have laid the groundwork for an expanded yet more tailored offering. Although the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic heavily impacted tourism, Philippine policymakers and stakeholders are looking to adapt the sector’s offering and prioritise domestic tourism to support the national recovery. Enhanced health and safety measures have been implemented to align hotels, tourism sites and other services with the demands of the new normal. Meanwhile, a shift towards digitalisation and the use of technology to upskill the workforce are readying the sector for the future. This chapter contains an interview with Aileen Clemente, Chairman and President, Rajah Travel.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

The future of travel: Private players and government agencies work to create a safe and sustainable tourism ecosystem for the post-pandemic environment
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Tourism played a central role in the Philippines’ economic development in the years leading to 2020, and an increasing emphasis on sustainability and responsibility underscores the sector’s importance for the years to come. While the popular island of Boracay has long drawn tourists, local authorities continue work to diversify destinations through the creation of tourism enterprise zones (TEZs). These endeavours, as well as those aimed at widening source markets, have laid the groundwork…

Analysis

Reboot button: Health and hygiene measures complement digitalisation efforts in a bid to prepare for tourism’s new normal
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The global tourism industry has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, as border closures and travel restrictions prevented tourists from venturing overseas. In emerging markets such as the Philippines the slump in international tourism took a heavy toll on local communities that depend on the industry for their livelihoods, as well as starved these countries of a vital source of foreign exchange. Tourism generated P4.7trn ($93.5bn) for the Philippine economy in 2019 and supported nearly…

Interview

Ensuring resilience: Aileen Clemente, Chairman and President, Rajah Travel, on making changes to support the sector’s recovery
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Interview:Aileen Clemente In what ways has the government supported travel and tourism operators during the pandemic? AILEEN CLEMENTE: The Department of Tourism (DOT) provided adequate guidance to travel and tour operators on the day-to-day situation, and on government programmes that could assist tourists and tourism enterprises affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time the DOT engaged the Tourism Congress of the Philippines, which is the private sector body for tourism, in preparation…

Analysis

Greener pastures: Governments in Asia Pacific are working to protect top destinations from overdevelopment and environmental damage
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Tourism in the Asia-Pacific region has seen impressive growth in recent years, aided by cheaper air fares, an expanding consumer class and increased exposure brought about by improved internet connectivity. Although these developments have led to significant economic benefits for countries across the region, they have also had some negative consequences, particularly for the environment. Around 133.1m visitors travelled to ASEAN countries in 2019, up from 129.2m in 2018 and 125.7m in 2017.…