RP gets a makeover in Japan

TOKYO, Japan – The Philippines is shaking off stereotypes about its image as a destination and is poised for a dramatic makeover.

Starting this year, the Philippines will position itself as a "premium" resort island to sophisticated Japanese male and female tourists who are touted as "the Europeans of Asia" because of their discriminating taste.

To jumpstart the makeover, the government has launched "An Island in Your Name" campaign, wherein 25 lucky Japanese tourists will get to have a Philippine island in their name.

"Can you imagine one of the 7,107 islands of the Philippines named Tanaka, Inoue or even Koziumi?" Tourism Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano said at the launching of the campaign at the sidelines of the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) World Tourism Congress at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center here.

Under the campaign, 25 Japanese tourists will have one of the islands in the "Hundred Islands" cluster in Alaminos, Pangasinan named after them for a period of one year.

Durano said they can set up a signboard proclaiming their name on the island. The Alaminos government, represented at the launching by Vice Mayor Teofilo Humilde Jr., said it will set up air-conditioned floating villas near the island chosen by the winners.

The project is being undertaken by the DOT in cooperation with Philippine Airlines, the H.I.S. travel association of Japan and the Alaminos municipal government, a fitting kick-off to the celebration of Philippine-Japan Friendship Year next year.

The "An Island in Your Name" campaign is just one of several enticements the government is offering Japanese visitors to the Philippines, which increased by nine percent from January to August this year. The Department of Tourism is also highlighting the Philippines as a wellness, shopping and beauty destination for a growing market of female Japanese tourists.

"Despite the wealth of Japan, wala silang wellness or peace of mind. The suicide rate is high. But just four hours away (in the Philippines), they can get peace of mind, find some quiet place," added Durano. He said the DOT targets one million Japanese tourist arrivals by 2007.

Japanese tourists spend an average of $90 a day, $20 more than other tourists and choose only four or five-star hotels and resorts. "Standards nila (ay) mataas. (When) they eat in a restaurant, they look for the best one. They look for good coffee. They go to the expensive restaurants. They know how to live," noted the 36-year-old Tourism secretary, who studied at Japan’s Waseda University for a year.

Durano pointed out that the DOT is also targeting working women between the ages of 20 to 30, who are seeking beauty and wellness destinations overseas.

A lot of the travel agents from Cebu and Bohol who joined the JATA Travel Fair highlighted the "getaway" characteristics of their properties – beaches, spas and beauty parlors.

Thus, the Philippine booth in the JATA travel fair had both a makeup and a massage counter, a novelty in a fair where other booths only had posters, brochures and product exhibits.

Show Of Force

Tourism Attaché Benito Bengzon said the 50-strong Philippine private sector delegation to the JATA travel fair was the biggest ever in Philippine travel history. "That’s a good sign. They represent hotels, resorts, travel agencies, other tourism-related companies so the fact that we’re getting such a big group this year is an indication that they really see the Japanese market as fully recovered already. Because for a while after SARS and Iraq, the Japanese slowed down. But last year was the turnaround point, and I think this year is going to be much better than last year. "

Among those present were Rajah Tours chairman Alejandra "Dading" Clemente, Plantation Bay general manager Efren Belarmino, Waterfront Hotels & Casinos’ Joey Bernardino, Philippine Airlines’ Genaro Velasquez and Teresa Manalili, Panglao Island Nature Resort’s Reginald Ong, Travel Vilage’s Jose Walter and Ma. Lourdes Sultan and Cebu Pacific’s Edwin Bautista.

For the Philippine National Day at the World Expo in Aichi, Singapore Airlines’ Rita Dy and Westin Philippine Plaza’s Rose Libongco flew in from Manila to show their support.

The success of the Philippine participation in both the JATA Travel Fair here and the Word Expo in Aichi was largely due to the fact that both the government and private sector got their act together and rowed in one direction.

"I think this is the only expo that earned money for the government," says Rosvi Gaetos, head of Team Japan and commissioner general of the Philippine participation in the World Expo. "This is also the only expo where we didn’t have any financial problems. Everybody supported us. From Malacañang to Ambassador to Japan Domingo Siazon Jr. Philippine Tourism Authority GM Robert Dean Barbers was the very first to commit money to the Philippine pavilion. And Philippine Airlines, my gosh! With the number of tickets they gave us for the official delegation during the 185-day expo, they slashed off millions from our expenses."

Rosvi said that based on reports from Philippine Airlines, it seems the response from the Japanese market was swifter than expected.

PAL country manager to Japan Genaro "Bong" Velasquez says flights between Japan and the Philippines are full (31 times weekly), with a load factor of 70 to 80 percent.

Durano said the number of Japanese visitors, now at 450,000 and counting, may easily breach the 500,000 mark next year.

With an image makeover and with government and the travel sector getting their act together – no wonder.

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