ZAMBOANGA CITY, 7 March 2005 — Local and foreign tourists are flocking back to the southern Philippines' city of Zamboanga, unmindful of the travel warnings by some embassies in Manila as a result of terrorism and kidnapping threats.
A regional tourism officer says there had been a notable increase in the number of travelers in January and February since the government launched an aggressive tourism campaign promoting the historic port city as a major business and holiday destination.
“We are now picking up, and many people from other provinces are coming here, and so are foreigners. They come here for business and vacation. So far, more than 13,000 tourists have arrived here the past two months,” a Bernard Gregorio said told Arab News.
He said about 15 percent of the visitors were foreigners, mostly from Asian countries such as Malaysia, Taiwan and China. He said many foreigners come to Zamboanga to study its rich culture and colorful heritage, while the locals were attracted by the food and beautiful places, including white sand and pristine beaches and resorts.
“Zamboanga is a beautiful place and it is rich in culture and heritage. The people are friendly and the food is great. It is fast becoming a major tourist destination in the southern Philippines,” Gregorio said.
At least seven countries — Canada, France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, and Switzerland — have cautioned their nationals against traveling to the southern Philippines, specifically Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, and the Sulu Archipelago because of terror threats and insurgency problems.
But Malaca?ang said that the travel advisories were temporary and would eventually be lifted as the anti-terrorism campaign succeeds.
Manila has dismissed the negative travel advisories as overreaction, noting that diplomats in the Philippines in fact go about their normal business.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the private mobile phone company Smart Communications, recently launched the “I Love the Philippines, Biyahe Na!” initiative. The new campaign for the domestic market captures all the things Filipinos love about the Philippines — its breathtaking destinations and colorful fiestas, its rich food and incomparable shopping, and its friendly people and multi-faceted culture.
Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said the campaign was the result of a government-private sector partnership. Durano said the new campaign promotes the country’s major tourist destinations and fiestas, culinary and food, and culture and heritage.
“The DOT brought together its corporate partners who saw the socioeconomic benefits of tourism. They got together, brainstormed, and created a national advocacy plan compelling everyone to travel and re-discover the Philippines.
“We realize that to promote local travel, we must inspire pride in being Filipino by encouraging everyone to explore our country’s beautiful sites or re-connect with our heritage, history, and culture. Our campaign theme tugs at the heart and at the same time is a challenge, an urgent call to positive action,” he said.
Last year, more than 2.6 million Filipinos traveled around the Philippines.
