It is November 13. The Blumenhalle in down town Zurich is filling up with some very important people. The event: the Philippine Tourism Selling Mission for the Swiss market.
“We are very happy to see such a sizable group of Swiss tour operators, and travel agents attending an event such as this,” quips Simone Waserfallen, Philippine account manager of Gretz Communication, the Philippines’ public relations arm in Switzerland. “To think that two other countries (India and Mauritius) are having their own selling missions tonight. This turnout is simply overwhelming and highly encouraging,” she adds. “This is living proof of the keen interest of the Swiss tourism market in the 7,107 tropical islands of the Philippines.”
“I don’t mind losing my voice,” says Serafina Joven, president and CEO of Annset Holidays. “Though I sound like a broken record already repeating my sales presentation, the effort is well worth it.”
Much has been said about the glory days of European travel to the country. “The ‘90s was a bountiful period for us in terms of European tourist arrivals,” says Venus Tan, tourism attaché of the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) Frankfurt office. “This was a time when visits from major European source markets were at their highest. Annual UK arrivals were close to 100,000, German arrivals reached 65,000, while French tourists reached 26,000.”
Secretary Ace Durano, the man at the helm of DOT’s highly successful focused marketing strategy, states, “Today, our objective is to bring back those glory days for the European market. And from last year’s figures, it looks like we are gaining ground and getting there. Source markets from The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, and Switzerland reached their highest levels thus far in 2007.”
The Swiss market is the fifth largest European source market for the country. It posted a 6.5 percent growth in 2007 over the previous year’s figures, with 17,150 warm bodies actually entering the Philippines. This year, Swiss arrivals continue to grow steadily, with a 7.4 percent increase for the first seven months of 2008.
Already, the DOT is gearing up to participate in MUBA 2009, the biggest consumer fair in Switzerland, held annually in Basel.
“Next year, 2009, will be a big year for the Philippines as we have been given the honor of being guest country,” says Durano. “The Philippines will have a great opportunity for exposure in Switzerland with this fair as it attracts some 300,000 visitors,” he adds. This will take place from Feb. 13 to 22, 2009.
The MUBA organizers have provided 1,700 square meters for the Philippine Pavilion. “With this space, we will be able to house a travel and tours section, a restaurant showcasing traditional Filipino dishes, a health and wellness area highlighting the Filipino hilot, and other traditional healing methods and essences, a souvenir shop, a performance area, and booths for various trade products just ready for the taking,” says Verna Buensuceso, head of DOT’s Team Europe in Manila. “Our participation in MUBA will be a fitting follow-up to this selling mission to sustain our efforts in the marketplace,” she adds.
Asian munchies, San Miguel beer, mango halves and tropical cocktails were served aplenty throughout the event. The colorful performances rendered by the Bayanihan National Folk Dance Company gave the guests a glimpse of traditional Filipino culture at its most romantic and folksiest. Not to be outdone was an exhilarating display of flair bartending prowess by one of the country’s leading flair bartenders, Ryan Matthew Burgos of TGIFriday’s, Bonifacio HighStreet branch.
To cap the evening, Philippine dream holiday packages were raffled off courtesy of Philippine partners El Nido Resorts, Annset Holidays, Blue Horizons, Shroff Travel and the Philippine Tourism Authority. The grand prize was two international airline tickets to the Philippines courtesy of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
At the end of the day, 28 of the leading Swiss tour operators, 160 travel agents, and 18 Swiss media welcomed the Philippine tourism industry warmly into their fold. The Philippine private sector partners were very happy with the turnout. Present to support the Swiss campaign were leading Philippine tour operators Annset Holidays, Blue Horizons Travel and Tours and Shroff Travel and Tours. The country’s top resorts were also represented through El Nido Resorts, The FARM, Mandala Spa and Villas, Pinjalo/Calypso, Club Paradise, Antulang Resort, Apo Dive Resort, Banaue Hotel and Balicasag Island Resort. Airline partners were KLM/Air France, Etihad Airlines and China Airlines.
“It is the right time to take advantage of this heightened interest of the Swiss to explore new destinations in Asia”, says Durano. “We are striking while the iron is hot by re-introducing the tastes and textures of the Philippines to the Swiss tourism palate.” — Kathy Moran