‘Tourists get value for money in Phl’

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines has again been recognized as one of the top 10 places in the world to visit, where tourists get “value for their money.”

According to an online survey by Huffington Post Travel 2014, the Philippines is a top pick for “bargain hunters, outdoorsy types and the food obsessed.”

Aside from the Philippines, other places that can “deliver big but cost little” are Greece; Mexico City; Bucharest, Romania; India; Sofia, Bulgaria; Nicaragua, and Riga, Latvia.

According to the same website article, the Philippines is one of the “10 Places to Go” because the combination of “cosmopolitan affordability and splendid nature” makes it a destination that offers a lot for the money.

The Philippines was recently chosen by Lonely Planet as one of the top value destinations for 2014.

Shopping in Manila is a big come-on, as prices are cheap. Manila was even compared to high-end travel destinations such as Tokyo and Geneva, saying that goods and services in those places can cost up to seven times as much as tourists and travelers would pay in Manila.

According to CIO Wealth Management Research’s Prices and Earnings report, Manila has some of the cheapest shopping and upscale dining in the world.

“For example, a couple can buy a new wardrobe there for about $410 – seven times less than what you have to pay for similar items in Tokyo. And the average cost of a three-course meal in a good restaurant is a mere $18, compared to about $95 in Geneva or Oslo (two of the cities featured in our recent story on the world’s most overpriced destinations),” it said.

The Huffington Post article noted that there is no reason for tourists to be afraid to visit the Philippines after the series of calamities that hit the country recently.

“If you are concerned about whether a visit to the Philippines is appropriate so soon after Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), know that the country considers tourism to be an important part of its recovery. Large portions of the country – and the majority of popular vacation destinations – were undamaged,” it said.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) had earlier urged foreign tourists to continue visiting the Philippines, saying they could help in efforts to rebuild areas damaged by Yolanda.