Prolonged flu issue to hit tourism soon-official
By Carmi Cavanlit, ABS-CBN News Central Visayas Bureau | 06/26/2009 12:41 AM
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CEBU - Tourism in this key Visayan province is set to be put to another test as it faces travel scare due to the A(H1N1) virus.
In the opening of 3rd Philippine International Tourism Fair 2009 in Marco Polo Plaza Cebu on Wednesday, Department of Tourism undersecretary Oscar Palayab said if that if concerns over the transmission of the virus are prolonged, at the same time aggravated by media coverage, these will eventually hit tourist arrivals.
Already, the tourism industry is facing the challenge of the global economic crisis that has caused bookings to thin out. Palayab said the industry's plight is made worse by the negative publicity on confirmed cases of A(H1N1) cases in the country since these add to the uneasiness of tourists that the Philippines is not safe to travel to.
“It’s just that the newspapers have taken a lot of cue from Department of Health, creating unwanted hysteria,” Palabyab said in his speech.
Palabyab urged reporters to focus not only on reporting confirmed flu cases, but also on the recovery rate from the illness. That way, Palayab said that the message tourists get is that this flu is no different from ordinary flu. He said that local and foreign tourists should also be assured that everything is under control and that the government is prepared to take care of its people.
Provincial board member Agnes Magpale, who is also the chairperson of the Committee on Tourism, said that tourist arrivals in Cebu during the first quarter grew 8 percent compared to the same period last year.
While the provice still does not have figures to determine whether the A(H1N1) virus has affected the tourism industry of the province, she said many tour operators have already expressed their fear that the fear of the virus might affect their business.
Tourism undersecretary Phineas Alburo said that it is important that the wholesome image of Cebu as a tourist destination will continue.
Palayab praised Cebu for its leadership in tourism tagging the province as the center of gravity of tourism in the country.
In a press release on Thursday, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents about 90 percent of airlines worldwide, said the global impact of the A(H1N1) to passenger air travel was first felt in May. IATA said the virus scare contributed 1 percent in the drop in passenger traffic.
Airlines from Mexico, which is where A(H1N1) is said to have originated, were hit the hardest with an almost 40 percent traffic drop in May.
Almost all foreign tourists in the Philippines arrived by flying with airlines.
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