DOT poised to exceed 2013 tourist arrivals target

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Thursday said it is poised to breach the five-million tourist arrivals mark by the end of the year as it implements programs to woo back Taiwanese and Malaysian tourists and those discouraged by the massive earthquake in Bohol and Cebu.

DOT Undersecretary Daniel Corpuz said at the sidelines of the Rising Stars of the Philippines investment summit that the state agency is now working to reverse the 33-percent drop in Taiwanese tourist arrivals from January to August this year. The decline is a perceived effect of the May shooting incident between the Philippine Coast Guard and a Taiwanese fisherman who was eventually killed. The incident prompted the Taiwanese government to impose sanctions against the Philippines.

Corpuz said the government has agreed to give a 50-percent discount on visa costs for Taiwanese tourists in a bid to post a rebound before yearend. The discount will be in effect until the end of the year, he added.

Corpuz said the industry also suffered from the February standoff in Lahad Datu, Sabah between security forces of the Sultanate of Sulu and Malaysian troops.

"The Sabah conflict affected the Malaysian market," Corpuz said.

He added that the 7.2-magnitude earthquake which hit Central Visayas on Tuesday will also discourage tourists from going to the tourist destinations.

"Any person who has plans of enjoying his holiday will obviously have second thoughts if the destination he is going to has suffered from calamity," Corpuz said.

He said the Tourism Infrastructure Enterprise Zone Authority will assist Bohol and Cebu in their their tourism industries' recovery from the earthquake.

DOT initially set a 5.5-million tourist arrivals target for 2013, but Corpuz said since the country's major airlines started and will start long haul flights late this year, the surge in tourists, especially from Europe, will only be felt by the first quarter of 2014.

For 2014, the DOT expects the number to jump to 6.8 million, with the tourism industry contributing 7 percent to the country's gross domestic product.