DOT eyes middle class Asians to boost tourism

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has shifted its target market from big spending Europeans to middle class Asians.

DOT officials are now eyeing middle class travelers from neighboring Asian countries to boost the country’s tourism industry amid the global economic crisis.

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said the government is now focusing on a marketing campaign to lure Asian tourists.

“The focus on Asian travel buyers and sellers is timely, as there are many opportunities to be tapped with the emergence of the middle class in China and India, as well as other source markets in the region,” Durano explained.

Durano said the DOT recently joined the largest travel trade show for Asian as part of the government efforts to maintain the country’s booming tourism industry.

The DOT said between 600 to 700 million tourists are expected to travel within Asia in the next five years.

Undersecretary for Tourism Planning and Promotions Eduardo Jarque Jr. said career women from Southeast Asia are looking for places where they can unwind, and our beaches and spas are among the best.

“Incentive travel is booming for the Indian market, and students from Korea continue to increase in number,” Jarque added.

Rica Bueno, DOT head for Team Asia-Pacific, said joining travel shows is an effective marketing campaign to promote our country to major buyers.

“We have positioned the Philippines as a destination of choice in Asia with a strong emphasis on leisure and incentive travel,” she said.

Tourist arrivals from the Asia-Pacific region accounted for 18 percent of total inbound traffic in the first half of 2008.

DOT statistics indicate that the introduction of specialized products on incentive and adventure attracted more visitors from Australia, which grew by 12 percent in the first semester of the year. 

Hong Kong has been revived with the introduction of new products and tapping new trade channels. – Mayen Jaymalin