Foreigners Flock To Rp Despite Stern Advisories

[Travis]

this is good news for the Philippines http://www.tribuneon...101115met3.html yeah for us Americans as #1 :D :( :36_1_47[1]: The Philippines remains the favorite tourist and business destinations of foreigners despite the travel advisories from six countries warning their nationals against visiting the country, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said yesterday. BI officer-in-charge Ronaldo Ledesma said as of Nov. 8, a total of 2,562,505 foreigners visited the country compared to the 2,190,114 who arrived during the same period in 2009. Ledesma said the country is on track to hit its target of at least 3 million visitors in 2010 as tourist arrivals are expected to troop to the country to enjoy and savor the Filipinos’ way of celebrating the Christmas season. Traditionally, tourist arrivals spike during the last two months of the year when it is winter in the northern hemisphere and Europeans flock to tropical countries to escape the cold. Ledesma noted that the spate of negative travel advisories by foreign governments urging their citizens to avoid the Philippines hardly dented tourist arrivals. He cited statistics for October when tourist arrivals stood at 239,465, up by almost 19,000 compared to the 220,572 registered visitors in September. Alien Registration Division (ARD) chief Danilo Almeda said Americans still topped the list of foreigners who visited the country from January to October with 679,406, followed by Koreans with 525,564 and Japanese with 331,156. Rounding up the top 10 nationalities are Chinese, 229,989; Australian, 140,238; Canadian, 116,175; British, 113,041; Taiwanese, 99,465; Malaysian, 70,107, and Singaporean, 66,336. “This is a positive sign that despite the negative travel advisories, we are succeeding in our efforts in promoting the Philippines as a prime tourist and investment destination,” Almeda said. Ledesma said the increased tourist arrivals likewise indicate “the confidence of the international community in the government of President Aquino is as strong as ever.” He added the BI will continue to pursue programs to make it easier for foreign tourists and businessmen to enter and do business in the country. The BI chief underscored the bureau’s important role of in the government’s tourism efforts since immigration officers are usually the first Filipinos that foreigners encounter when they enter the country. “We will continue to train our immigration officers so they will become true models of our vaunted Filipino traits of hospitality, courtesy and friendliness,” he added. Conrado Ching

[No name]

Those advisories where little more than CYA for the holidays. In case something does happen, then they can say "See, we warned you."When they release those and then turn right around and say nothing has changed, it really diminishes their impact.Unlike most expats though, I don't dismiss them outright. Going into certain areas of Mindanao is flat dangerous.Your changes of getting mugged in a major US city is probably far greater than anything happening to you here. Unless you're stupid enough to venture into the Sulu Archipelago. I would also be very weary of Gen San and Cotabato. I might be willing to fly into Gen San but I wouldn't take a bus there.

[stef]

BI officer-in-charge Ronaldo Ledesma said as of Nov. 8, a total of 2,562,505 foreigners visited the country compared to the 2,190,114 who arrived during the same period in 2009. but 80% of this number is former Filipinos not real foreigners.

[No name]

BI officer-in-charge Ronaldo Ledesma said as of Nov. 8, a total of 2,562,505 foreigners visited the country compared to the 2,190,114 who arrived during the same period in 2009. but 80% of this number is former Filipinos not real foreigners.

I wouldn't think the number would change. Most don't even check! These warnings were out in 2009 as well. For the USA as far back as 2007 and probably for the rest of the countries that have issued them now.