Tourism is a luxury, but it should not be prohibitively expensive in this age of growing digital economy. A satisfying trip experience should have elements of smooth sailing and enjoyable recollections. However, the lack of understanding of existing initiatives and policies to support digital adoption, gaps in access to digital technologies, and a digital skills gap in the workforce are still ongoing challenges that the tourism industry faces.
Obtaining a Philippines visa on arrival (VOA), which permits the holder to stay in the country for up to 59 days, is an option only available to a small number of citizens of a few specified nations for visitors arriving in the Philippines. The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines is in charge of enforcing the Philippines' visa policy, which establishes the prerequisites for all foreign people seeking entry into the nation for transit, work, study, or permanent residence as well as for tourism, commerce, and other purposes.
Those with internet access can apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization for the Philippines, which is now available exclusively to Taiwan passport holders but will be expanded to other countries in the future. The Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) was developed to streamline the process of getting travel authorization and eliminate the requirement to visit an embassy to submit an application.
The rest of the citizens of around 40 other foreign countries are required to apply for an embassy visa to travel to the Philippines, no matter the intended purpose and duration of the trip, from their nearest government diplomatic office of the Philippines well in advance.
According to the Philippines' visa policy, passport holders from around 160 countries are permitted to enter the country without a tourist visa and may stay for a duration of 14 to 59 days depending on nationality.
As of June 29, 2023, the Department of Tourism has already counted 2.67 million arrivals from international visitors, 2.44 million of which were foreigners. The Department's baseline goal for international visitor arrivals this year is 4.8 million.
South Koreans remain the top source of foreign markets with 665,757 travelers to the Philippines, followed by the United States (509,526), Australia (128,232), Japan (127,139), and Canada (123,439).
DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco is optimistic that the industry's demand for 'revenge travel' and as what was once a global health emergency has changed travelers’ motivations, preferences, and behavior, leading to what is now referred to as “the changed traveler”, will boost the promotion of Philippine tourism.
In an interview during a virtual conference, Dennis Plaza, Managing Director and President of JTH and Affiliates Holdings Inc., the operator of Manila and Thailand-based Juanderer Travels (JTH Travel and Tours), recommends that the Philippines tourism body conduct a longer market study and competitive check, citing Thailand as a model country to emulate when it comes to tourism.
Plaza stated that Thailand does not stray far from culture, that business and corporate facilities are being enhanced to attract more tourists, and experience on the streets and in restaurants is nearly identical while visiting Thailand. He also mentioned that visa processing through online in Thailand has about 90 percent approval rate.
“More tourists should be able to apply for visas on arrival in the Philippines. While the tourist package for Manila is similar to that of other SEA countries, the level of comfort is limited. If you schedule a vacation in Boracay, it should be limited to Boracay. Adding more itineraries for other regions is already expensive,” he added.
According to Plaza, the lack of direct flights to specific regions of the Philippines also provided a challenge for tourism packages, and this type of situation can already consume a tourist's itinerary for one day. Flights to Manila depart most regularly from Cebu and Caticlan. These two flights account for 15% of Ninoy Aquino International Airport's monthly arrivals.
Tourist agents like Plaza can only advise their clients to have a brief layover in Manila before boarding to another flight of their specific Philippine tourist destination they have in mind.
Juanderer Travels is a Destination Management Company (DMC) dealing with corporate travelers who travel to other nations to attend meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibits, or MICE, as well as with Filipino firms looking to expand or collaborate.
They offer extensive experience handling business tours and incentive travels, with services from small to large group excursions via tailor-made travel and programs. JTH has both foreign and domestic clientele for inbound and outbound travel.
When it comes to Logistical Support and Management, JTH offers Meet & Greet services at the guests' arrival point, as well as quick transportation to their destination. Local transportation and leisure outings can all be planned around the visitors' schedules.
“We are excited to participate in travel exhibitions in Manila to help promote Philippine tourism, especially with the ongoing DOT promotions. We anticipate that visa processing restrictions will be relaxed in the future, particularly for corporate clients attending conventions and exhibitions, and our goal is to provide more access to incentives to CEOs and executives representing international companies traveling to the Philippines,” Plaza said.