Beyond the numbers and headcount, I’d also like to mention the revenue, because this has been increasingly an important indicator, $7.29 billion, again a record-high for the first nine months. It’s the first time we reached it.

BORACAY has never looked so good with a cleaner beachfront devoid of clutter and litter. Stricter rules have been in place since its reopening in October 2018. KATHLEEN A. LLEMIT

On Friday, 27 December, the Philippines welcomed the eight-millionth visitor to its shore. Yachiyo Imamoto from Yokohama, Japan was the latest foreign visitor to arrive in the country.

She arrived wih her husband, Tamio, at 1:33 p.m. and was personally welcomed by Assistant Secretary for Tourism Development Roberto P. Alabado III.

She had been to the Philippines for eight times to visit her foster family whom they hosted in exchange in Japan. The couple have been to Cebu and Palawan and will tour in Baler this time around.

With the continuing increase of foreign travelers this side of the globe, tourism is on a high note as the year ends. In fact, the first nine months of 2019 set two consequential records for the Philippines.

From January to September, the number of foreign visitors reached the 6.1 million mark, a record high for the first nine months of any year. Consequently, the revenue gained was another record high, at $7.29 billion.

WAZE drivers get a glimpse of what the Philippines has to offer.

Department of Tourism (DoT) Undersecretary Benito Bengzon shared this good news at a media gathering held earlier this month.

“The first nine months we reached 6.1 million foreign visitors. A record high for first nine months for any year. It represents a growth rate of 14.37 percent,” he said.

The department had earmarked 8.2 million foreign visitors for the year. The number was expected to rise with the country hosting the biennial regional sporting meet, SEA Games, for two weeks from late November through the first week of December. An estimated 4,000 athletes were billeted at the newly-constructed New Clark City, where most of the games were held.

“If we look at the growth rate, it is within striking distance. Beyond the numbers and headcount, I’d also like to mention the revenue because this has been increasingly an important indicator — $7.29 billion, again a record-high for the first nine months. It’s the first time we reached it. This can be attributed to longer length of stay and higher total expenditure per visit, which is now at $1,200 to $1,300 per visit, depending on nationality. In a way, this also supports the sustainable development efforts of the secretary plus the whole DoT. We can no longer be just fixated on the headcount, we also have to look at the revenue stream,” Bengzon noted.

Yachiyo Yamamoto and husband Tamio have been to the Philippines eight times before.

Under Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, the department has continued to strategically work on the Philippines’ promotions.

One of its many efforts was the participation in the World Travel Market (WTM) 2019 in Excel, London. Organized by the‬Tourism‭ Promotions‭ ‬Board‭ ‬(TPB),‭ ‬the‭ ‬marketing‭ and‭promotions‬arm‬of‭DoT, the Philippines’ participation generated more than‭P62‭million‬based‭on‭partial‬sales‭ leads‭ gathered‬or‬a‭35.73 percent return‬of investment. Aside from generating marketing and promotions lead as well as helping the DoT and TPB to stay abreast with the latest travel trends, it provided a platform for the Philippine private sector to conduct business-to-business meetings and renew linkages with their tourism markets around the world.

Tapping the digital landscape, the agency also inked partnerships that would highlight Philippine destinations and products.

It has tapped Waze to promote the country’s cultural and natural wonders with the “100 Days in the Philippines” campaign.

WORLD-FAMOUS sunset in the island destination. KATHLEEN A. LLEMIT

The platform’s three million monthly active drivers will be treated to scenic spots, local traditions and culinary feasts complete with location details while on the road. It is similar to a digital billboard where all of the information will appear when drivers are at a complete stop. The zero-speed takeover ads will be available until 31 March 2020.

It also launched a new guidebook and companion app on Metro Manila’s culinary offerings.

Metro Yummy Picks is a 76-page glossy that features must-try dishes as selected by the DoT, representatives from 17 partner LGU, local residents, restaurateurs and food writer Margaux Salcedo. The 10,000 copies have been distributed to airports, seaports and malls nationwide. Its mobile companion “My Metro Manila,” which is now readily available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store, will not only complement the food experience but is part of the project’s sustainable efforts.

Food and beverage accounts for 23.8 percent of the total expenditure of tourists in the Philippines, according to the 2018 Philippine Tourism Satellite Accounts Report.

Amid all these, the department emphasized sustainability, one of the key components of its National Tourism Development Plan.

Numerous projects that highlight these measures including the development of the Quezon Memorial Circle into a greener and more sustainable national park. Located in the biggest city, it has been a go-to place for many Filipino families to spend their holidays or to do recreational activities.

The area houses a small amusement park and green spaces for picnics. It is also a point of convergence, more so with the current construction of the Manila Metro Rail Transit System Line 7 with the Quezon Memorial MRT Station located underground.

KAKANIN or rice delicacies remain a favorite among Filipinos.

Sec. Romulo-Puyat met with Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte to discuss plans in enhancing the Circle as part of the city’s tourism circuit to attract more local and foreign tourists.

The Boracay experience, however, is the definitive sustainable blueprint for the agency. After its closure in April 2018 and reopening in October in the same year with more stringent measures on its carrying capacity and stricter adherence to tourism guidelines specifically on the 25+5 easement ruling, the rehabilitated and still rehabilitating island destination is set to become a premium destination for the Philippines.

“The experience in Boracay, and I’m sure you’ve heard this many times over, has really helped us develop a new set of development guidelines. It has redefined our approach with respect to destination promotion and development,” Bengzon shared.

“The Boracay experience has taught us, among others, the need for convergence with appropriate government agencies. In this case, the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) and DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources). It has also taught us the importance of making sure that there is a strong buy-in coming from local stakeholders and local community. At the end of the day, it is going to be them monitoring and implementing these measures.

“The other thing that we have learned from Boracay is that we have to make sure that the effort is sustainable and the fact that we’re now completing the second year of it, the fact that we see the heavy involvement of the three cabinet secretaries (Puyat for DoT, Roy Cimatu for DENR and Eduardo Año for DILG) is really a testament of commitment of these senior officials and the cabinet they represent. If you look at other destinations in the country, I would like to think that they’ve been inspired by the successes that we’ve achieved with Boracay.

Now I would like to believe that other destinations are also carrying out their guidelines on carrying capacities and sustainability concerns. The appreciation is getting deeper as we go along as we achieve more successes. Hopefully, the lessons that we learned in Boracay will be kept in mind when we look at other destinations that are being redeveloped and rehabilitated,” he said.

Currently, the agency is working with the ADB on Coron and El Nido and with the World Bank on Siquijor, Panglao and Siargao. All of these other island destinations have been closely monitored by stakeholders so that these will remain in their best natural state, while still able to accommodate more tourists.