Selling destinations

By Ped Quiamjot

MINDANAO landed on the 10th ranking as one of the best islands in Asia in a poll of an international Conde Travel magazine. Davao City topped in the Social Weather Stations survey with a rating of 66 percent (people’s perception of the sincerity of city government’s fight against corruption). Perhaps, it is two of the many reasons for the travel-friendly month on March 6-9, 2013 and the whole summer when big gatherings of travel executives and convention planners all over the Philippines. One would beheld at the new five thousand-seat SMX Convention Center in Davao City. It is called “Mice,” an acronym for Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events. The conference is a biennial affair of the travel and tourism sector in this country convened to come together “ignite and infuse” the trends in holding conventions, creating a theme and brainstorming a marketing plan and programs to sell the Philippines and its regional destinations to the world.

The Mice gathering is not the only big event expected in Davao City next year. The IBP National Convention and the Advertising Congress of the Philippines, two of the most influential organizations in the country have set their eyes on Davao. With more travel executives, lawyers and creative minds in advertising attending conventions and travelling to Davao City next year, the prospects of more investments and tourism will follow.

Why Davao and not Cagayan de Oro when the latter is nearer to Cebu and Manila? Many of the participants will be coming from the National Capital region. Having it in CDO means spending less in terms of airfare. Maybe, the organizers were not only looking at the cost factor but perhaps the discovery of the discipline and growth of tourism in Davao City, the third most important city in the Philippines, after Manila and Cebu?

Davao City is large with various cultural diversities representing many ethnical groups. With all its sceneries and world-class amenities that comprise highise buildings, spacious convention halls, two international brand hotels, sprawling malls and a good cluster of resorts in the nearby island, it is the right mix rife for a convention destination. Many of its agricultural products, places of interests and environmental features stand as a fitting tribute on how Mindanao should be projected in the eyes of the world. Of course, we also heard of their governance and how peace and order are handled. With their stringent ordinance against smoking in public places and a no-nonsense battle against criminality, it gives visitors more confidence. Their top city officials themselves are “tourist attractions” in words and deeds.

But in the Northern Mindanao capital, the calamity damage last year has not been forgotten by the public. Environmental issues are not fully resolved and we are seeing cat-and-mouse skirmishes on illegal mining and quarrying? The people’s perception on the sincerity of the local government in the campaign against corruption went down at the lowest of negative 13 percent based on the correct survey data released by SWS.

On air transportation, we are migrating slowly to the next level of travel with the new Laguindingan Airport that still awaits installations of air navigational equipment to guide aircraft communications for landing and takeoff. Some pictures of unpreparedness and inefficiencies in the marketing process of our destination are starting to crack in the wall. Maybe the local government and the travel and tourism stakeholders should mend ways, work together and sit down to institute reforms. It’s a public and private partnership that we need to refocus on.

Travel starting 2013 is expected to be more convenient, safe and fast with the government vision for airport expansions and upgrading of feeder destinations. This was a commitment declared by President Aquino during his state of the nation address this June. One of his statements is the allocation of government budget to upgrade airports and terminals in Manila and other identified destinations. The President must deliver his promise because it will be a public disappointment if he does not. Travelers are either observant or good judges of government performance. Many are anticipating in the travel and tourism business in this country that the modernization and upgrading of the airlines and airports would increase the options of a person or a family who travel or who gather for special occasions.

Air travel upgrading is already being handled by the industry players like Ramon Ang for PAL, Lucio Tan of Air Phil Express, Lance Gokongwei of Cebu Pacific and the tandem of Tony Fernandez and Antonio Cojuangco Jr. for Air Asia. Not to be outdone is Zest Air which is now flying the “missionary routes,” giving us a new lease of life for bigger and safer new aircraft. The tourism industry is grateful to these businessmen for their visions.

Most travels are women-initiated. A woman makes effective decisions for tours and convention planning, organizing meetings and events. They are also more observant of the environment and the people in government. We cannot just imagine how the women population in this country will react if the President fails in his commitment? Women are more concerned about values, sincerity and experience. They influence trends as they love to frequent hotels, fitness centers, restaurants and shops with their discretionary expense behaviors. Their income in the Asia Pacific region has increased to 13.5 percent per capita since 2010 compared to men who stood at 12.1 percent. The number of women in the fields of advertising, wellness and entertainment in the Philippines is growing. Their influence and incomes, too, are growing despite the tumultuous economy.