Moroccan tourists expected in Phl

CEBU, Philippines - Thousands of high-spending Moroccan travelers are expected to travel to the Philippines soon following  the visit of top travel wholesalers from Morocco who were in the country to explore destinations in Manila and Cebu.

Organized by Etihad Airways and supported by the Department of Tourism (DOT)  and leading travel agency AFRO Asian Travel & Tours, Inc., the group stayed for five days in the country, spending two nights in Cebu.

According to Angel Ramos Bognot, president and managing director of AFRO Asian Travel & Tours Inc., the group’s visit is a  good opportunity for the Philippines to be promoted well in Morocco, considering that Moroccans who love to travel only know of Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia as travel destinations in Asia.

Although  Morocco is part of the African continent, Bognot said  it is considered as an Arabic country.  Arab travelers  prefer luxury, five star accommodation, beaches, cultural attractions, and shopping.

Aside from Cebu and Manila, Bognot said together with Etihad Airways, “we are also pushing Boracay and Bohol. They like sun  and white beaches.”

Prior to the strong promotion of the Philippines to the Moroccan market, the country only recorded an average of 1,000 Moroccan tourists  a year.  

With new and heightened efforts to sell the country to the Middle Eastern market,  Bognot said, the Philippines is expected to lure more Moroccan nationals. 

At present, there are 18,000 available airline seats every week being offered by Middle Eastern carriers including Etihad Airways.

“It is high time that the Philippines will be promoted strongly in this potential market and change the impression that the Philippines is more on labor traffic. The Middle Eastern market must know the Philippines as  a leisure destination,” said Bognot.

Last year, Etihad Airways organized a familiarization trip of Lebanese travel wholesalers to the Philippines and now the country  is one of the preferred destinations for traveling Lebanese.

Just like the Lebanese, Moroccans also are looking for new destinations in Asia. Bognot said the group is impressed by the charm of the Philippines and the warmth and hospitality of the people. 

In Cebu, the group visited Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort, Plantation Bay, and Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa.

The Moroccan travel wholesalers also stayed overnight at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

“Some of them (wholesalers) already committed to bring in Moroccan tourists by next year,” Bognot said adding that this organized familiarization trip would bring in thousands of wealthy Moroccan visitors to the Philippines.

Aside from Lebanon and Morocco, Bognot said the Philippines’ emerging tourism market in Middle East  include Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, and Iran. (FREEMAN)