PHL Targets P7B Luxury Tourism Revenue in 2018

The Philippines targets some Php7.0 billion worth of revenue in luxury tourism by 2018, S8 Exhibition Inc. Executive Director Edwin Villanueva said in a briefing Thursday.

Villanueva said S8 Exhibition, a tourism show company, eyes the Philippines to be a premium travel destination.

According to Villanueva, luxury travel costs as much as Php100,000 to Php120,000 per night for prime location and elegant settings, very high quality of services and comfort, and exclusivity.

Target markets of luxury tourism are those in the very high-income middle class.

He noted that there is a growing Social Class A travellers in 2011 with income 200-percent higher than average population.

Villanueva said the Philippines should get its share in the region’s luxury tourism industry by advocating that the Philippines can offer premium travel experiences, locations, and services.

In Asia Pacific, premium travel destinations include India, Australia, China, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, Vietnam, Singapore and Bali.

In order to promote the country as an emerging luxury tourism destination in Asia, S8 Exhibition will be holding the first Asia Premium Travel Mart (APTM) from May 26 to 28 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

Some 100 buyers are expected to attend the event for business-to-business meeting in which 70 are international buyers while the remaining are local buyers.

International buyers will come from India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, South Korea, Cambodia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Hungary, Belgium, Macedonia, Russia, Poland, Germany, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, United Kingdom, Austria United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, South Africa, Canada, and Australia.

After holding the 1st APTM, S8 Exhibition targets that the country to attract 10,000 luxury tourists for the first year and secure some Php1.6 billion in revenue.

The group aims to attract 200 luxury buyers for APTM in 2016 which will also include meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibition (MICE) sector while some 300 luxury buyers are targeted to join the event in 2017 with focus in attracting buyers from Asia Pacific, Europe, BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), Middle East, Australia, and Latin America.

S8 Exhibition targets 30,000 premium travelers in 2017 and 60,000 travelers by 2018.

Villanueva noted that the Philippines has big potential in the premium travel industry with companies here developing hotels and accommodations with very high quality of services being offered such as Crimson Group, Shangri-La Group, Hennan Group, Huma, and Misibis Bay among others which have developments in El Nido in Palawan, Cebu, Boracay, and other top tourist destinations in the country. (PNA) FPV/KMC