Hotel industry urges traveler-safety focus in promoting PHL destinations

THE HOTEL industry said the Philippines needs to be actively positioned as a safe destination, noting the negative impact of safety rankings that portray the Philippines as unsafe.

“I think we also need to work with the government on a concerted effort in reintroducing the Philippines to all of our key markets, reminding everybody why we are different from Thailand, from Indonesia, and from the rest,” Francis Nathaniel C. Gotianun, senior vice-president at Filinvest Hospitality Corp., said during Philippine Hotel Connect 2025, organized by the Philippine Hotel Owners Association, Inc.  on Thursday.

HelloSafe released findings based on travel insurance data designating the Philippines as “the latest safe country on the planet,” but later withdrew the results of its study pending a review of its methodology.

Mr. Gotianun noted that the report negatively affected the hospitality industry.

“Of course we want to tell people, ‘Yes, you have to be careful but we need to put things in perspective,’ and we have a duty as you know leaders in our various areas to take that up and make sure that the right messages get out,” he added.

To attract more visitors, the hospitality industry must put the spotlight on the uniqueness of the Philippines, according to Ayala Land Hospitality Creative Director Paloma Urquijo Zobel De Ayala.

“Instead of… always chasing world-class, let’s just be exceptionally Filipino,” she said at a panel discussion during the event.

She also cited the need for more visitor options within driving distance from Manila. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz