The Eucharistic meet and the emperor and empress

Two big events that transpired as the first month of the year ended had what could be described as a “January effect” of the stock market, so called to indicate the surge in the buying of stocks this month that followed the December selling off for market players to monetize their tax losses. 

But these two events though – the International Eucharistic Congress and the five-day state visit of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan—had their “January effect” on the country’s tourism receipts that could translate into bigger revenues in the future, as the “transient” tourists come to grips with what the country can offer: heritage sites, awesome beaches and hospitable people.

Many from Japan came over to the Philippines to become tourists so they could catch a glimpse of the emperor and empress for in their country, they seldom see the two except on special occasions and from a distance. But with the five-state visit here in the Philippines, the Japanese tourists were afforded a rare opportunity, and in the process nudging up our tourism revenues.

We learned about this wonderful item from Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco. He gave us the happy news upon arriving from a state dinner for the emperor and empress to attend a surprise ceremony of sorts for Bangko Sentral Corporate Affairs Officer Mon Lozano who was retiring after babysitting all the journalists who covered the Bangko Sentral from more than 30 years ago.

Thus, everywhere Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko went, a horde of kimono-wearing Japanese ladies and their spouses could be seen enthusiastically waving to the royal couple. Their presence here in the country meant more tourism dollars earned for the hospitality industry.

But more than this, the arrival of the Japanese tourists augur well for the tourism program of the Department of Tourism as it opened the eyes of the transient tourists to the wonders that our country and our people can offer.

The same is true for the more than 13,000 delegates to the International Eucharistic Congress held in Cebu. The delegates came from 71 countries and the fact that they have experienced first hand the wonders that we offer, the better for our tourism program’s dollar-enhancing program.

In a sense, these twin events had the uncanny “January effect” that has eluded the Philippine Stock Exchange, as the global economic events — from the massive decline in the crude-oil price to the drop in China’s Gross Domestic Product –sent the local stock market in a volatile up-and-down move.

It is a good thing that the Japanese emperor and empress chose to come a-visiting and it was equally great for the country to host the International Eucharistic Congress as the twin events brought forth possibilities for the country to enhance its image as a tourism destination.

These two events are expected to bring forth more tourists who, having seen first-hand what we could offer, would later on come back again and again. We have the coveted three S’s: sun, sand and sea. These are what the Europeans want to experience first-hand. Aside from this, we also have great surfing destinations that the Europeans and Americans are now just beginning to know about.

More than this, though, we have the heritage sites and cultural events that tourists love to be a part of. There is Vigan, with its cobbled streets; Pangasinan , with its hundred islands; hundreds of old churches built from the North to the South, and there is the Panabenga festival of flowers in Baguio City; the Pit Senor celebration in Cebu; and dozens of festivals that are a feast the eyes of our tourists.

The rule of thumb is that every arriving tourist is equivalent to one job creation. Thus, the tourism target of 10 million tourists would result in the creation of 10 million jobs, enough to serve as a cushion to any adverse global economic impact that could hit the Philippines.

Now, it is high time for the government to pull its act together so that the tourism program benefits from the twin events in January that luckily took the place of what should have an expected January effect on the stock market.

And the first order of business is for the government to build a data base of the tourists who arrived here as a result of the religious congregation and the royal state visit so that the January effect plays out the rest of the year.