Sudipta Dev – Mumbai
Among the fastest growing markets for the Philippines, there has been a consistently high double digit growth in Indian arrivals in the last few years, and the trend is expected to grow stronger in the near future. “The Philippines has welcomed 74,824 Indian visitor arrivals in 2015, in comparison to 61,152 visitors in the year 2014, exceeding the year’s original target of 20 per cent growth and representing a 22.36 per cent increase over the previous year,” said SanJeet, tourism attaché, Philippines Tourism Marketing Office India, adding that the target for 2016 is 25 per cent growth in number of Indians travelling to the Philippines by focusing on a yield driven strategy. One of the important factors is Department of Tourism (DOT) Philippines’ focused efforts under the ongoing Visit the Philippines Again (VPA) 2016 campaign.
In India the Philippines is being promoted as a luxury, wedding and MICE destination. “The latest reports show that the leisure section has shown growth in comparison to MICE. However, the Philippines hold a tremendous potential for MICE activities,” stated SanJeet, pointing out that a lot of targeted effort is being made to highlight the Philippines as a preferred MICE destination.
Beyond Manila, the major attraction for Indian tourists has been the islands of Boracay, Palawan and Cebu. “However, Indian travellers are showing keen interest in exploring other destinations like Davao, Bohol, Zamboanga, Ilolo and Siargao,” remarked SanJeet. He pointed out that from pristine beaches and astounding natural wonders to interesting historic sites and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, the Philippines pack many exciting things to match the expectations of new age Indian travellers. “The visitors are now keen on attending traditional festivals, shopping and food festivals and the vibrant nightlife. The Philippines has variety of offerings to match the taste of every visitor,” he added.
There is visa-free entry for Indian travellers having valid and current AJACSS UK visas (US, Japan, Australia, Canada, Schengen, Singapore and UK), for 14 days and can enter from all international
airports/ seaports.