MANILA: Philippine tourism secretary Richard Gordon is haggling
with the Arroyo Government to cough up additional funding for the task
of repairing the country's devastated tourism image.
Gordon wants the Government to take his agency's promotional budget from
US$600,000 to $20 million this year. The amount is still
relatively small - just 28 per cent of the $70 million that rival
destinations Malaysia and Singapore each spend in a year. Gordon
described the Philippine's budget as a pittance.
Last year, while the Philippines attracted only 1.8 million visitors and
another 400,000 'balikbayans' or returning Filipinos, Malaysia received
12 million visitors, Indonesia six million and Vietnam's more than two
million arrivals. "We used to be Asia's No. 1; now we are Asia's
used-to-be," said Gordon.
As a result of the political instability surrounding the trial of
deposed former president Joseph Estrada and the kidnapping of tourists
at a popular resort, he said he doubted if the country would hit its two
million target this year.
However, if the extra funding is forthcoming, Gordon is hopeful of
increasing tourist numbers to three million by 2003.
Part of his plan is to outsource advertising and PR functions to the
private sector. At the moment, the Philippine Information Agency handles
all advertising.
Gordon hopes to raise funds by privatising some of the Government's
tourist facilities, including the Luneta Boardwalk Project in Manila.