The Philippines

What initiatives are needed to boost tourism in the Philippines?

Everytime people travel to this country, they dish out some frustrations from poor toilet facilites, slums and street beggars etc. Some thought they will not come back. Compared to other Asean countries, the Phils. lagss behind in tourist arrivals. In 2006, Thailand had 14 million visitors alone. Phils- 3 million.

Public Comments

1. our hotels are expensive compared to rates in other asian countries.
2. 1. improvement of peace and order 2. conservation and preservation of natural resources 3. enhancement of possible tourist attractions/ destinations 4. public info dissemination about tourism and its advantages (and the role of ordinary citizens in improving the industry) 5. inter-coordination of different govt offices re tourism projects and promotions (e.g. tax exemptions on purchases of tourists, etc) edit: 6. hehehe i missed your point-- promoting hygiene and sanitation in public places and facilities :D (this can be taken care of by the local govt in coordination with private enterprises that are commonly accessed by the general public). A roaming 'sanitation officer' from the local govt could regularly inspect the concerned facilities in their locality, and fine (or penalize) those who were not complying with hygienic standards set by the govt.
3. http://europesworld.info/
4. Get rid of the church and you'll see the boost. Believe me on that one.!
5. Most of the suggestions are good but first and foremost, the visa requirements should be more relaxed for non ASEAN members.
6. How many of those that went to Thailand had one ticket and a vision of a little girl or boy. There is quality in tourism too. A lot of the complainers will go somewhere else next time and then complain about that place too. Right now the only tourist out there are the ones with trips payed for before they got poorer or they are the rich. So be nice to the ones with little money but look to upscale. Everyone could start by cleaning up their own area that would help.
7. Thailand spends hugely on international advertising. We should too. The concerns you mentioned are domestic ones which can be dealt with as soon as the surge of tourists comes.
8. male tourist should be given a girl of their choice.
9. Advertise. Advertise. Advertise. I have lived in Southern California for like a million years and have not seen one single ad about the Philippines in major newspapers or magazines. Yes, there are lots of ads in Filipino-owned newsmagazines, but what kind of readers are they trying to catch? Balikbayan? Regular vacationing Filipinos? The Philippines' Tourism Bureau must be kidding themselves. I see Korean, Cathay, Japan, Australia and especially Singapore Airlines aggressively advertise their country and their airlines, but where is the Philippines. Anyone listening?
10. I believe the Philippine government is aware of all these issues but for some secret reason,they don't want to get involved in the peoples concerns.
11. advertise worldwide
12. I like the Philippines just the way it is and don't care if no more tourists come. Especially, I will be pleased if there are no more sex tourists and the others referred to by JD. For Khem The Philippines already has very relaxed tourist visa rules. How many other countries do you know of that will allow you to stay for 16 months as a tourist before making you leave. Regards: Jim Sibbick