The story highlights how the country, with its more than 7,500 islands, could entice even the hardest-to-please tourists.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to deal an unprecedented blow on many industries worldwide and tourism is one of the hardest-hit industries by the grim effects of this global situation.
Traveling — and basically moving around for leisure — halted in many parts of the world. Recently, there’s been a sign of hope for travelers as one by one, countries are starting to ease into their “new reality.”
Who knows when traveling can resume for all, but as early as now, travelers are taking notes on where to go next sans departure date.
Forbes magazine recently published online an article by Jared Ranahan, who named the Philippines, alongside Ethiopia, Georgia, Iran, Myanmar, Slovenia and Tunisia, as countries that “have potential to become major tourist destinations in post-COVID world.”
“While the following countries have yet to become world-class destinations, the ingredients are all there — pristine natural beauty, historic ruins, and fascinating cultural experiences can be encountered in abundance across all seven of these highly underrated nations,” Ranahan said in his article.
Talking about the Philippines, Ranahan highlighted how the country, with its more than 7,500 islands, could entice even the hardest-to-please tourists.
“The northernmost island, Luzon, is home to Metro Manila, a truly massive metropolis consisting of 16 cities — the national capital of Manila and the country’s most populous settlement, Quezon City, are two popular destinations for a deep immersion into mainstream Filipino culture,” said Ranahan.
As the Philippines is known for its white-sand beaches with a grand backdrop of fiery sunsets, the travel writer tickled lovers of sun, sea, and sand (even just the curious) with a preview of what visitors can expect here.
“Those planning to lounge on the sandy shores should head to Visayas, the country’s central archipelago, where island destinations like Palawan and Boracay offer some of the nation’s finest white-sand beaches, as well as countless opportunities to spot some of the endemic plant and animal species of the Philippines.”
According to the Department of Tourism (DOT), with its refreshed “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign early last year, the Philippines had 8.26 million foreign visitor arrivals in 2019 with most tourists coming from Korea, China and the United States.
Recently, the DOT launched its “Wake Up in the Philippines” campaign to retain the foreign market’s interest in the Philippines, a report in The Philippine STAR said.
Will post-COVID be the “it’s about time” moment for the Philippines to shine on the global tourism arena? With bated breath, we wait.