IN JUST a few months, Dong Fang Leisure Philippines, Inc., a leisure company with offices based in Cebu and Guangzhou, China, has contributed a significant share of tourism revenues and Chinese arrivals in the Philippines.
A top company official estimated that 6,000 Chinese tourists have visited the country ever since June, when Air Philippines established its twice-weekly direct flights from Guangzhou to Cebu and vice versa every Thursday and Sunday.
“The company has brought in 2,000 Chinese visitors to the Philippines every month since mid-2011. This has resulted in the influx of over P300 million into the national economy by way of the average tourist staying four nights/five days and spending an average of P50,000. Overall figures for the year can easily exceed P1 billion,” said Alan Dino, Dong Fang senior vice president.
He said the amount covered roundtrip airfare, hotel accommodations, food, transfers, shopping and other incidental expenses.
In Cebu, the guests stayed mainly at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, Radisson Blu Hotel, and Hotel Elizabeth. Resorts included Shangri-la’s Mactan Resort and Spa, Movenpick Resort and Spa, and Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa, and the Bohol Beach Club in Bohol.
The guests consisted mainly of families with children as they ranked the warm weather, shopping in SM and Ayala, and the delectable seafood specialties as their most favored attractions in Cebu.
Guest feedback was mainly positive as the Chinese guests, almost all of whom were first-timers in the Philippines, said they enjoyed the various facilities, amenities and sights.
Since September serves as the start of the school year in China, arrivals may be slightly affected. (PR)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on September 06, 2011.
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