Ditas Lopez, Bloomberg
Hard to imagine the Philippines can now take in Royal Caribbean Cruises’ biggest ship in Asia, the Spectrum. But it's easy to think of the impact on the little region called Ilocos when the ship docks at its new port Salomague. Cautions about the environment aren't overblown.
2 weeks ago
Raini Hamdi, Skift
For many, the idea that a few families can control a whole industry is unthinkable, unfair, actually galling. In Philippine tourism, it’s as entrenched as the sight of a jeepney — no one thinks anything of it at all. That has to change, although it won’t be anytime soon.
2 months ago
Maria Stella F. Arnaldo, Skift
A handful of families in the Philippines controls 70 percent of the country's tourism industry, owning key travel infrastructure such as airlines, hotels, resorts, shopping malls, and tourist attractions. Is that tight control a formula for future success?
2 months ago
Claire Jiao and Cecilia Yap, Bloomberg
The current 71-year-old Manila airport is congested. San Miguel proposes to build a new one near Manila that can handle 100 million passengers annually at no cost to the government. How good is that?
3 months ago
Raini Hamdi, Skift
Most countries are still prejudiced against the Indian passport. That's a shame. Indian travelers are a legitimate, growing source for the global tourism industry. Thailand understands that; Australia not yet. Maybe it'll take a cricket match to change that.
3 months ago
Maria Stella F. Arnaldo, Skift
Despite its beautiful beaches, the Philippines is a tourism underperformer in Southeast Asia. It keeps luring investors with tax breaks. Critics say maybe it's better to prioritize peace and order instead. Both are required.
4 months ago
Andrew Sheivachman, Skift
Destinations have realized that partnerships and collaboration between public and private forces are the best way to create sustainable tourism growth. Time will tell, though, whether this approach has a lasting impact on global tourism outcomes.
7 months ago
Ian Sayson and Cecilia Yap , Bloomberg
Casinos are a tourism magnet and stricter rules to safeguard locals from gambling, and to keep other gambling ills at bay, are better than a complete ban. Look to Singapore as a good Asian example.
9 months ago
Andreo Calonzo and Cecilia Yap , Bloomberg
The Philippines' new tourism chief is hoping that millennials will be inspired by social media sites like WeChat and Instagram to visit its culinary destinations as the government considers imposing quotas on beachgoers. Tourism officials worldwide will be watching to see how it turns out.
1 year ago
Claire Jiao, Bloomberg
With Chinese tourism increasingly big business for many countries, airlines are stepping up their route development. The Philippines will have plenty of competition from other Southeast Asian beach destinations.
1 year ago
Clarissa Batino and Cecilia Yap, Bloomberg
Consumers in the Philippines have less buying power because of a weakness in the value of its currency. But airlines must raise airfares to keep up with spiking jet fuel costs. Bad news for expat travelers.
1 year ago
Andreo Calonzo and Ditas Lopez, Bloomberg
Sustainable tourism growth is difficult to achieve because most tourism boards won't slow down, take a beat, and withstand a temporary drop in visitation in the name of long-term improvement. The Philippines is smart to do this reparative work.
2 years ago
