Amidst the global challenges, the country expects a robust tourism industry with a growing number of Europe’s biggest tour groups setting their sights on Philippines’ attractions.
After hosting more than 260 delegates from German-based Meier’s Weltreisen which is Europe’s biggest long-haul operator, the Department of Tourism (DOT) welcomes a new batch of travel specialists from four major Swiss groups namely, Wettstein, Tourasia, Flex Travel, and Kuoni.
Secretary of Tourism Ace Durano cited the arrivals as a strong indicator that tourism traffic is unaffected by the global scenario. “Europeans coming in droves used to be a rare sight in the country. But through the united front shown by our tourism stakeholders from all sectors, our travel missions, and strong investor confidence, we are getting attention from big tour operators in Europe,” Durano said.
Dubbed as the Swiss Mega Fam Trip, the group is composed of 100 frontliner agents along with foreign media members and Singapore Airlines delegates, who will be immersed in experiential workshops to learn about the Philippines’ anchor destinations. The seminar entitled Discover Paradise, includes nature, adventure and cultural tours of Banaue, Bohol, Boracay, Cebu and Palawan, and ocular inspections of hotels and resorts.
Eduardo Jarque, Jr., Undersecretary for Tourism Planning and Promotions, stressed the careful balance of marketing and infrastructure development as a tourism driver, “Complementing our vigorous campaign here and abroad is the expansion of our capacity to host tourists. Tourism in the country has never been this good as we have more flights, airlines, airports, hotels and top-notch destinations.”
Venus Tan, Tourism Attaché of DOT Frankfurt, also noted the importance of bringing travel frontliners to the country, “Experiential workshops such as ‘Discover Paradise’ is just one of the valuable programs of the department that foster better relations with specific markets. We seek to present the Philippines as a familiar second home to our market.”
Switzerland Ambassador Peter Sutter highlighted the tourism industry as one of the pillars in strengthening the growing relations of his nation and RP. “One of the major bilateral projects we’ve had is last year’s participation of the Philippines as host country in MUBA, the biggest Swiss consumer travel fair held in Basel. We believe your country has a lot of potential for our tourists, with an even bigger traffic compared to other nearby destinations,” said Ambassador Sutter.
He likewise mentioned the importance of the first ever state visit of Swiss President Pascal Couchepin as an indicator of better things to come for Philippine tourism.
The Swiss Mega Fam Trip is hosted by the DOT and partners Sofitel, Blue Horizons Travel and Tours, and Singapore Airlines.
