Manila is Booming as a Niche Tourism Market

The tourism industry in the Philippines is growing at a consistent pace. Data from the tourism department of the country showed that close to 4 million tourists visited the Philippines last year. On a year-to-year basis, it is nearly a 15% jump over the previous year. The present year also shows a promising trend with the country having already received about 2.14 million tourists in the first six months of 2012.

The tourism boom is being welcomed by every industry sector as it is expected to create a chain reaction that would benefit all industry segments in Manila and elsewhere in the country. The transportation sector, for example, sees a parallel growth in the improvement of market access, connectivity and destination infrastructure in tandem with the booming tourism industry. The development of the iVAN Tourister, a shuttle vehicle that can comfortably accommodate nine people, is a point in case.

Manila is fast catching up the other more popular tourist destinations in the region. Besides offering world-class amenities for a family-oriented holiday trip, it is also gearing towards building an infrastructure that can attract people who are more after fun and nightly entertainment. It would not be long to see people taking UK flights from Edinburgh to Manila in quest of a throbbing nightlife and seamless gambling opportunities.

Taking a clue from the success of Macau in reaching the height of casino boom, Manila is planning to soon have its own casino resorts that would attract wealthy tourists from across the world. The development of a $4-billion casino is in full swing near Manila Bay.

Once it gets completed, the Philippines will be ready to vie for a share in the niche market that is growing at much faster pace in Asia than anywhere else in the world. The tourists from the western countries are likely to favor Manila over other destinations in the Southeast Asian region due to their familiarity with the Filipino language and culture, and the friendly atmosphere of the country.