Hollande sees Philippines as major tourist destination

MANILA, Philippines — French President François Hollande on Thursday said he hopes the Philippines will become among the top destinations of French tourists as the two counties expand bilateral ties in the next years.

"The Philippines may also make a major destination for the French," Hollande said, speaking in French and simultaneously translated in a forum with business leaders from the Makati Business Club and the Philippines-France Business Council in Manila.

He said the Philippines is rich with environmental sites that the French may not be aware of, and protection of these resources will encourage more tourists to come.

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"There are wonderful sceneries that we should protect here, that we should support here ... that we should improve with you so that there will be more French tourists coming to the Philippines," he said.

The Philippine Embassy in France last year has pushed for awareness about the Philippines to reach the Department of Tourism's target of 50,000 French tourists.

Hollande, meanwhile, also said more Filipinos should see his homeland, urging the business community to facilitate travel between the two countries.

"France is a major tourist destination," he said. "Of course, there are not enough Filipino tourists in France."

Hollande is in a two-day state visit in the Philippines to call for global efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change. He is also set to Guiuan, Samar devastated by Supertyphoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) on Friday.