THE Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has turned its attention on corporate incentive travel from the Philippines after market research showed that the sector has more promise than meetings, conventions and exhibitions.
“Incentive travel is steady and fast-growing not only to South Korea but also to other countries,” said Sangyong Zhu, director of KTO’s Manila office.
Encouraged by its market research results, KTO hosted the MICE Travel Mart in May, which saw the participation of almost 150 corporations in cooperation with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
According to Zhu, the Manila office also works closely with the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines and the Philippine Travel Agencies Association in promoting the destination for incentive trips.
KTO is also investing in advertising and newspaper campaigns to promote MICE tourism.
Incentive arrivals from the Philippines today are a tiny percentage of the total footfalls from the market. The tourism bureau supported 971 people from 20 incentive groups from the Philippines between January and October 3 this year, while total arrivals in the first eight months of the year were 280,711.
Zhu explained that the numbers were small because KTO’s Manila office was only formed a year and a half ago and the incentive trip campaign was rolled out last May.
“This is just the beginning. The Philippines has big potential,” he said.
“(South) Korea isn’t cheap. It’s a little more expensive than other Asian countries but Filipinos still go there because of the robust Philippine economy and the stronger buying power of the middle class,” he explained.
Filipinos’ fascination with the Korean wave adds to the destination’s popularity, while South Korea’s offer of multiple-entry visa for South-east Asians since September has enhanced accessibility.
