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The Department of Tourism (DOT) is seeing red.
After launching a campaign to attract tourists from
China, the DOT is now
eyeing
Russia as its next major tourist market.
"Russians now have more disposable income, which they spend on
international travel," Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said, noting that
Russia is now among the world’s top 10 spenders on international tourism.
He also said Russia spent $12 billion in tourism during the last three
years. In 2004 alone, 5.9 million Russians flew to other countries to see
the sights.
Durano said Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, took only a 12
percent share of Russia’s outbound tourists.
"Based on DOT data, we were able to attract 5,000 Russian tourists from
January to July, or a remarkable 154.2 percent compared to last year, but we
can get more," he said.
In a bid to get a bigger share of the Russian tourist market, Durano said
the DOT has invited 14 Russian tour operators for a familiarization tour of
the Philippines.
"The tour operators would be visiting the country’s top destinations like
Boracay, Bohol,
Cebu and El Nido," he said.
Durano said the familiarization tour will coincide with travel and
tourism trade fairs that aim to give various Philippine destinations the
greatest amount of exposure with its target markets.
"The tour is very timely since (a) long winter is now approaching in
Russia that would give tourists there (reason) to come and experience our
warm tropical country," he said.
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