MANILA, Philippines – Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr was citing a common love for nature by Filipinos and Japanese, when he was pitching the Philippines’ pristine natural attractions to Japanese travelers last week.
Jimenez made the pitch at the Philippine Tourism Business Mission last June 20, the Philippine embassy in Tokyo said this week.
“Both our countries have suffered much from the fury of natural calamities and know how destructive they can be. But we know how beautiful, peaceful and invigorating nature can be. It is when man appreciates nature that harmony and balance is maintained,” a statement on the Embassy’s website quoted him as saying.
He pointed out nature is a God-given gift that people have to respect and commune with.
Jimenez stressed the Philippines has such attractions and invited the Japanese guests to partake of nature’s gifts in the country.
“(T)here is a mysterious bond between man and nature that man has to periodically go back to natural settings to realize his true character,” he said.
2-way tourist travel
The embassy said the Philippines and Japan are working together to significantly increase two-way tourist travel.
This is not only from Manila to Haneda and Narita but also to major gateways of Japan, including Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka.
“For the Manila-Tokyo route, Tourism Attaché in Tokyo Valentino Cabansag is working with travel agents to fill up the passenger seats for 10 daily flights by major Philippine, Japan and other international carriers such as Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways,” the embassy said.
“With the increase in volume of airline seats, the Embassy is coordinating with the Tourism Attaché to fill up these flights with travelers to the Philippines,” it added.
Meanwhile, the embassy said the Philippines expects a marked increase in two-way tourism as Japan announced recently the relaxation of visa requirements for the Philippines and various ASEAN countries.
