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| Wow, Philippines! By Antonio C. Abaya July 08, 2004 Whoever lands in the Tourism chair in the current game of Musical Chairs in the Arroyo Cabinet would do well to retire that inappropriate slogan which only leads to unfulfilled expectations and can even encourage sarcastic and cynical remarks. Such as, �Wow, are the Filipinos really this corrupt?� Or, �Wow, when do we get to see your next coup d�etat?� Or, �Wow, you mean I should have paid only 200 pesos for that taxi ride, not one thousand?� Tourism is a marketing and packaging business and is best left to marketing and packaging professionals, not to politicians who tend to market and package only themselves, with an eye to the next elections. �Wow, Philippines!� was a slogan created in 2002 or thereabouts by then Tourism Secretary, now Senator, Dick Gordon. In an interview with the Inquirer about six months ago, Gordon admitted that �Wow, Philippines!� had failed to increase tourist arrivals from two million to ten million, as he had anticipated, and he blamed it all on the SARS epidemic of 2003. Increase tourist arrivals from two million to ten million in two years? Wow, Philippines talaga! Never happened anywhere. Thailand, which presently draws about 13 million tourists every year (the top drawer in Southeast Asia, despite being hit hard by SARS) started its tourism development program in 1982, when Gen. Prem Tinsulananda rose to power in a coup d�etat and announced his economic priorities as tourism and exports, in both of which he and his successors were a spectacular success. Hong Kong and Singapore, two other countries hit harder than the Philippines by SARS, are each drawing 12 to 13 million tourists. And so is Malaysia. Indonesia, which also suffered from the regional tourism downturn triggered by SARS, had also seen its tourism industry devastated earlier by the Bali bombing of October 2002. Yet it is now drawing six million tourists a year, again. From late 2003 to early 2004, in an effort to recover business lost to SARS, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand took turns holding city-wide Giant Sales, coordinated and synchronized to avoid overlapping schedules. The price-cutting promo was a roaring success, judging from the spike in tourist arrivals since. The Philippines, as usual, did not join and so missed yet another bus. In the early 1990s, Indonesia and the Philippines were each attracting one million tourists a year. Since then Indonesia went on to draw six million, while the Philippines got stuck at two million and has barely moved up from that level, SARS or no SARS. Clearly, we are doing something wrong, or we are not doing something right. We are in the middle of a tourism boom area, yet we are being avoided by millions of potential and actual tourists as if we had collective BO. Aside from our reputation for rampant lawlessness and recurrent political instability, as trumpeted by our own Bad News Media, our marketing and packaging efforts are amateurish or non-existent at all. Those who watch cable TV are aware of how pathetic Wow, Philippines! is as a marketing and packaging campaign, compared to those of our competitors. Amazing Thailand!�.. Malaysia, Truly Asia!�.. Incredible India!�.. Naruwan Taiwan! These memorable and attractive campaigns accentuate colorful, vibrant and exotic scenes, the locals showing off their unique cultures in song and dance, the visitors enjoying it all. Always, people, people, people! Even Indonesia as the Land of Smiles, amateurish though it may be as a campaign, shows people displaying their unique cultures.. And what does Wow, Philippines! show? An aerial shot of a what looks like a lonely, DESERTED island, with the empty (and unredeemable) claim that �if you do not like this island, we have 7,000 others for you to choose from!� A shot of the DESERTED Chocolate Hills in Bohol, with the corny admonition that �these hills are not for eating!� A school of fish. Someone running with a red lapu-lapu. A tourist being garlanded with a lei. Hammocks strung out between coconut trees. Two tourists riding a bullock cart. Honestly, Dick, did you really think these pedestrian images would encourage ten million tourists to stampede to these islands? And it�s not only now. I recall that in the mid-1990s, when I was president of the Philippine Futuristics Society, our group was invited to Malacanang by President Ramos to air our individual concerns. I chose tourism. I showed President Ramos advertising pages culled from Time, Newsweek, Asiaweek, Far Eastern Economic Review and The Economist. Air New Zealand plugged 100% Pure New Zealand with breath-taking sceneries. The Tourism Board of India promoted ancient temples and wild animals. Singapore advertised the Singapore Zoo and shopping. Thailand highlighted exciting nightlife, etc. All enticing readers to come and enjoy. And what was the solitary Philippine entry? A half-page ad from Philippine Air Lines advertising its new sleeperette service to Los Angeles. In other words, how to LEAVE this country in style! Wow, Philippines! ***** The bulk of this article appears in the July 17, 2004 issue of the Philippines Free magazine. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to �Wow, Philippines!� WOW - World of Wonders was the promotional acronym under Dick Gordon. In a separate email which I will send you could be one reason for the inability of the Philippine tourist industry "to spur its growth" - unsaid but burrows deep into the sensibilities of tourists, mostly "balikbayans" looking forward to "good times" during their vacations - unpleasant welcome at ports of entry. The email account of my experience follows separately. Elsa Bayani [email protected] July 11, 2004 NOTE: Ms. Bayani's article "Tourist Boom or Doom" appears in the Reference Materials section of this website. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya: Thanks for the article. It is enlightening. But another column on how now Senator Richard "Dick" Gordon drove away Spanish and Latin American tourists with his questionable version of Philippine History in that LIght and Shadow Horror show at Intramuros, could add to our people's enlightenment. Another bad result for the Filipino image of that Dick Gordon Ligh and shadow Horror Show at Intramuros is nullification of the Filipino-Spanish Day of Friendship, launched by the town of Baler on July 3, last year with the full cooperation of the Spanish government. After seeing that Dick Gordon Horror show at Intramuros, the Spanish government suspended all cooperation in this year's clebration of the Filipino-Spanish friendship day. That is another wow for Filipino image and tourism abroad. Another grave error of now Senator Dick Gordon is the Lapulapu statue at Rizal Park. Here is a park that is originally dedicated to Jos� Rizal as national hero but arbitrarilly being shared by an invented hero like Lapulapu. The statue of Lapulapu is not only an insult to Jos� Rizal but an insult to the History of the Philippines. Reason: while Rizal struggled and died for 7,000 Islands that now comprise the entire Philippines. Lapulapu was merely struggling to keep his half of Mactan island from Cali Sula and Rajah Humabon. Lapulapu is an invented hero by sectarian U.S. WASPs who never allowed the Philippines to become a State of the U.S.A... Not even as an "Associate State" like in the case of Puerto Rico who fell under the Americans together with the Philippines and Cuba in 1898. Filipinos are said to be disunited up to now and that is thanks to our U.S. WASP historians and their local lackeys who distort history just to keep Filipinos ignorant about their rights. If allowed we could give more points on this matter but then you have space limitations. Keep up the good work. Guillermo G�mez Rivera Former professor of History and Spanish [email protected] July 11, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (Through the pldt egroup) Hi Antonio, I certainly agree with your point of view regarding the WOW Philippines project. First, It's very costly even for us Filipinos. 2nd, their packages sucks. Regards, Jerry Calubrian [email protected] July 11, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww All these talks about the Philippines being WOW is bulls---t! It is being advertised as a good destination for sex tours, and for those having financial problems and thinking of insuring someone to send there and have a killer for hire (mamamataytao) kill him, and have someone in the police to issue some papers good for claiming insurance payments. FYI. I know this for a fact as I own a travel and tour agency in Japan, No thanks for your patronage of the crook now messing up the affairs of the Philippines more! Gloria has to show sincerity first. She cannot make right things she does/did wrong! Yuko Takei July 11, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, I believe the reason for the lack of tourists in the country, is because we have failed to appreciate or identify the competitive advantage of our country as far as attracting tourists are concerned. We may have beautiful beaches but I had been told by some foreigners that the beaches in Indonesia are far more beautiful. So what is it that we have that other Asian countries do not have, or if they have, ours is better. I believe it is none other than our love for fiesta and entertainment. We should have long been become the Music or Entertaiment Capital of Asia. In the cities, we have top notch entertainers and in the provinces, the fiestas. Just as Spain advertises itself as having fiestas all year round, so should we. Of course, the fiestas should be developed into becoming like the Mardi gras. We are supposedly the happiest people in Asia. Then let us capitalize on this competitive advantage. We don't just advertise the tourist spots, but we sell the "fiesta experience". Just as Winston cigarette does not just advertise the cigarette, but sells the "Spirit of the USA." When I have foreign buyers here, I always remember to bring them to Kaldero-kaldero, and the singing waiters never fail to entertain them. One thing I have observed which should be fast corrected by the Department of Tourism is our high hotel rates. Our three star hotel rates have rates similar to 5 star hotel rates say in Indonesia. At least that is what my Indonesian friends say. Bobby Tordesillas [email protected] July 12, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Antonio, I do fully agree with your great article. The "Wow" campaign is not a good one compared to the ones of our neighboring countries. The 2 million tourists p. a. figure is also incredible, and probably hundreds of thousands of balikbayans are included. The 10 million tourists p. a. figure will remain a dream until the country has the proper infrastructure, like a modern NAIA, Airbus into town from the airport, reasonable accommodation rates etc. etc. If you wish, I can send you our book "100 resorts in the Philippines" for possible review. (The DOT has no budget to order 1 copy). Sincerely yours, R. Bresler www.encyclea.com, [email protected] July 12, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Amen! Couldn�t agree with you more��but�.you got to start with a good product! Don�t make advertising the CURE! Advertising cannot be the Panacea! We have to start with ourselves Let me not get started Antonio! Thanks anyway! I have distinctly disliked this campaign from the word go! WOW Gordon got elected! J.J.Calero [email protected] July 12, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww . WOW Tony, this is real good: What you wrote! Someone once asked me why I have not offered to help then DoT Secretary Dick Gordon since I seem to be knowledgeable in Tourism. My reply: I cannot work with someone Who Talks Faster Than He Thinks! Dick is really all BLAH-BLAH-BLAH! Puro Bola!!! I would like to share about Dick's Tourism Promotion in Negros. First, he came out with his ubiquitous WOW Poster on Negros. Guess What? The Face of Kuh Ledesma was bigger than Mt. Kanla-on! Super Stupid Talaga. On top of it all, the design of the WOW Poster was, as the Negrenses would love to say, L-O-U-S-Y!!! Second, Big Dick Gordon was trying to convince the Mayor of Silay to fork out P15 Million so he can make a WOW Poster on Silay. But the Mayor of SIlay is much smarter than Big Mouth Dick. He did not give any money. He knows well enough that there are not enough attractions in his city for the tourists to visit Silay. So Hindi na-bola ni Dick. I am happy that he is now in the Senate where he will inflict the least damage , being a collegial body task with Policy Making via Legislative Work. At least there, Dick Gordon will have to sell his ideas in the marketplace via debates. Rick B. Ramos [email protected] July 11, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, I agree with you about the "inappropriateness" of the DOT slogan on "WOW Philippines." First of all, it doesn't immediately give any idea on what this "wow" really means. Could it be an acronym or is it an expression of "wonderment?" In either case, I don't find it impressive. I have a feeling that the people running the campaign for tourism aren't really marketing men who know how to play the field. The largest market for travels to the Philippines right now is really the "Balikbayan" market. I am not sure but I think the average stay of returning residents run usually from two weeks to three weeks. I do not believe that they will go home and waste four to five days to see the smallest fish in the world in Lake Buhi, another week to see the 5-story high surfs off the Philippine Trench in Surigao, or a few days to gaze and marvel at the Chocolate Hills in Bohol. Incongrously, in many Filipino sari-sari stores in the US east coast, the DOT displays WOW posters inviting balikbayans to kayak in the "whitewater" rivers of Kalinga-Apayao. This is one promotion poster that really wouldn't work especially to the eastern US Filipinos because they won't go home just to paddle in the "whitewaters" of the Cordilleras. There are fantastic and extremely more exciting "whitewater" sites right here in the East and they don't have to go home to the Philippines for that. Filipinos want to go home because of nostalgia. They want to see old friends, former classmates, some relatives, old haunts, old schools and old towns where they were born and grew up in. They don't really have the luxury of time to see the mummies in Sagada, the giant whale sharks of Donsol, or fly to Zamboanga to climb some silly "tree houses." I doubt that a sizable number of mainstream Americans could be enticed to go there for a visit. The New York Times Travel section hasn't even featured any tourist attraction in the Philippines for the last ten years. How could they? US travel advisories even discourage travel to the Philippines because of its current political and peace and order situations. It's practically saying "Travel to the Philippines at your own risk." The Department of Tourism is frantically and futilely trying to attract white American visitors to the Philippines with their advertising and promotions when the real and viable market at present are the returning Filipinos themselves who would go and visit, regardless of the political and security conditions. What they have to do is deepen their (balikbayan) feelings for nostalgia and double their efforts to promote this. Frank Jimenez [email protected] July 13, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww The tourism promotions budgets of the different Asian countries would be good to compare. Lydia B. Echauz President, Far Eastern University [email protected] July 15, 2004 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |