15,000 additional hotel rooms to open in 2014 – DOT official
MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Tourism (DOT) is optimistic the country’s tourist arrivals will hit five million next year with the opening of new hotels.
An additional 15,000 hotel rooms are expected to open in 2014, of which 6,000 are in Metro Manila, Tourism Undersecretary Daniel Corpus said.
Corpus made the announcement during the opening ceremonies of the 28th Chefs on Parade held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City last Thursday.
Corpus represented Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr., who was not able to attend the international culinary competition organized by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRAP).
Earlier, Cynthia Lazo, director of the DOT’s Tourism Planning and Promotions department, said Metro Manila and Calabarzon have a hotel room gap of 10,177, the largest gap nationwide.
The DOT is facing a shortage of 32,000 hotel rooms nationwide.
In 2012, the DOT recorded a total of 4.3 million arrivals despite hiccups in the Chinese market, Corpus said.
The agency aims to achieve 10 million tourist arrivals by 2016.
Corpus also expressed optimism that the ranking of the country’s aviation sector will be upgraded from Category 2 to 1.
“We hope that in the next three to four months the issue will be addressed,†he said.
In 2009, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgraded Manila’s rating to Category 2 from Category 1.
The European Union also has kept the Philippines on a blacklist since 2010.
These negative ratings prevented Philippine carriers from flying to European destinations and in some parts of the United States.
Once the Category 2 status is lifted, the country’s flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) plans to fly to London, Paris, Rome and other parts of the US.
Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific also wants to fly to the US.
Corpus said more chartered flights are operating in major tourist destinations in the country like Kalibo, Aklan and Cebu.
