MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday expressed curiosity to increase academic tourism between the Philippines and Japan, citing how Filipinos are identified globally for his or her excessive English proficiency.
During a roundtable assembly with tourism stakeholders in Tokyo, Japan, Marcos stated the nation’s academic tourism would have a particular deal with the alternate of scholars and professionals in tourism-related establishments.
He additionally invited Japanese college students to check English within the Philippines.
“Filipinos are known to be the citizens of the world. Filipinos have a fluency in English that is recognized to be one of our main leverages, one of our main selling points in terms of the educational tourism. It makes it easy for us to work and communicate in other countries. And where else can you better learn English than in the Philippines,” he stated.
Likewise, Marcos assured that his administration can be prioritizing the event of key vacationer locations within the nation.
He stated the federal government is aggressively bettering highway networks and web connectivity in vacationer locations.
“Through this, we will make sure that hard and soft infrastructure is well-developed, from roads and bridges to medical facilities, clean water supplies, and readily accessible for tourists and locals alike,” he stated.
Citing authorities knowledge, he stated tourism’s contribution to the 2019 gross home product (GDP) was PHP2.48 trillion, or no less than 12.8 p.c of the overall financial system.
“We are banking on this potential to reshape the industry to be one of the key economic drivers of the country. We are well on our way to recovery, this I assure you, with more than 2.65 million foreign visitors we have welcomed last year, that’s exceeding the initial target of 1.7 million,” he added.
He stated the Philippines and Japan are deeply rooted in “unique appreciation and preservation of our culture, our traditions, and our heritage.”
“Now, this is something we admire and can share with our Japanese friends, whose success in the tourism sector is profoundly etched in one’s cultural identity that has adapted and strengthened over time,” he stated.
He, likewise, stated the nation is “open and ready to welcome more Japanese onto our shores.”
“And as a country that recognizes the linkages of our success to that of our neighbors such as Japan, working together in boosting our tourism sector is vital to economic resurgence,” he added.
Lifting of journey advisories
Marcos stated his administration was additionally pushing for the “lifting or limiting” of Japan’s journey advisories in opposition to Philippine key journey locations to revive the pandemic-hit tourism trade.
The DOT didn’t elaborate on which “key” journey locations these had been.
“The Philippines and Japan have so much in the pipeline on what we can share and learn with each other. But first and foremost, we note that in order for us to further deepen our nation’s mutual friendship and interest, we must first be open to each other’s people,” Marcos stated.
“With this, we are working on lobbying to the Japanese government for the lifting or limiting of its travel advisory against the Philippines’ key travel destinations,” he added.
As of Jan. 30, Japan ranks sixth among the many nation’s international guests.
In his first State of the Nation Address, Marcos recognized tourism as one of many prime priorities of this administration. (PNA)