Build Airports And They Will Come

[Jollygoodfellow]

The Philippine government are on the right track to harness tourism,in my opinion there is a lot to be desired in making the Philippines more tourist friendly.The one part of the news story below I find wrong and just shows that the government wont allow the country to move forward unless they give up some of the power and allow more investors into the country.

Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim said the government could attract businesses using "build-operate-transfer" -- where a private group builds infrastructure, operates it for profit for a period and then transfers ownership to government.

Philippines to ask private sector to build airport terminals The cash-strapped Philippines said Wednesday it will call on the private sector to help build up to six airport terminals as it bids to boost the country's finances through increased tourism.With the government needing to create jobs to ease widespread poverty while faced with a huge budget deficit for at least the next two years, tourism could become a key economic driver, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said."This is one of the low-hanging opportunities that's almost there, except we need to build the infrastructure so tourists can get to tourist attractions and we can become a major tourist market," he told reporters.The rest here http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/philippines-to-ask-private-sector-to-build-airport-terminals-20100819-12p5h.html

[Mr Lee]

The Philippine government are on the right track to harness tourism,in my opinion there is a lot to be desired in making the Philippines more tourist friendly.The one part of the news story below I find wrong and just shows that the government wont allow the country to move forward unless they give up some of the power and allow more investors into the country.

Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim said the government could attract businesses using "build-operate-transfer" -- where a private group builds infrastructure, operates it for profit for a period and then transfers ownership to government.

Philippines to ask private sector to build airport terminals The cash-strapped Philippines said Wednesday it will call on the private sector to help build up to six airport terminals as it bids to boost the country's finances through increased tourism.With the government needing to create jobs to ease widespread poverty while faced with a huge budget deficit for at least the next two years, tourism could become a key economic driver, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said."This is one of the low-hanging opportunities that's almost there, except we need to build the infrastructure so tourists can get to tourist attractions and we can become a major tourist market," he told reporters.The rest here http://www.smh.com.a...0819-12p5h.html

I believe they already did that with terminal 3 and then reneged on their deal and took them to court.

[ekimswish]

It's a shame how unorganized tourism is in the Philippines, but possibly a good thing for those of us willing to find it. I mean, when I was in Leyte in January I had researched all these beautiful places to go to, arrived, and found that no one knew how to get to them! lol... I got brochures from a local travel agency that had beautiful pictures of places, and again, tried to get to them, and found them to be deep into the mountains, requiring a long hike into unchartered territory. If you could find places like this, establish routes and deals with locals, you may be able to make money in the tourism business taking travelers to them. At least as long as the gov't doesn't try to mess you up, as it may with whoever builds these airports.

[Mik]

Build Airports And They Will Come

Hopefully they won't be used for US military supply depots in the coming war with China..

[tom_shor]

It's a shame how unorganized tourism is in the Philippines, but possibly a good thing for those of us willing to find it. I mean, when I was in Leyte in January I had researched all these beautiful places to go to, arrived, and found that no one knew how to get to them! lol... I got brochures from a local travel agency that had beautiful pictures of places, and again, tried to get to them, and found them to be deep into the mountains, requiring a long hike into unchartered territory. If you could find places like this, establish routes and deals with locals, you may be able to make money in the tourism business taking travelers to them. At least as long as the gov't doesn't try to mess you up, as it may with whoever builds these airports.

That's why the places are still nice. No one can get to them.

[joeatmanila]

Indeed i am surprised on this one.Philippines has so much potential on tourism so to become a capital of it in Asia. Seems to me that they do not want tourism there. They prefer expoiting the natural resources and let the rest to "bahala na". if this country was advertized as much as Thailand or Bali or even Vietnam then a lot of more millions would be running to the pockets of the "bosses" who own everything. Why they do not do it? I do not get it.Even if airports are there no one will fly to an airport they do not know or seems without interest or has an "avoid it" tag on it.

[Tom in Texas]

Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim said the government could attract businesses using "build-operate-transfer" -- where a private group builds infrastructure, operates it for profit for a period and then transfers ownership to government.

Yeah, right... what idiot investors would ever fall a scheme like................. uhhhhhhh, ok, I forgot about that whole "Hong Kong" thing.