BIZ BUZZ: Sports tourism pushed

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco is under fire from all sides, primarily because of the perceived underperformance of her department and her lashing out at critics in Congress.

There are, however, some low-hanging fruits that are ripe for the picking even amid all the turmoil.

With the right mindset and targeted approach, the country may yet be able to bump up the tourism numbers that reached just 5.95 million in 2024, far below the 8.26 million arrivals recorded in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

Those fruits can come from marrying sports and tourism. That means ramping up efforts to host more international sports events in the country.

Sports tourism seems to have attracted Pres. Marcos’ attention as he earlier ordered the creation of a task force to lead the Philippines’ preparation for the hosting of the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup.

The tournament will run from Nov. 21 to Dec. 7 this year under the watchful eye of the Philippine Sports Commission now headed by John Patrick Gregorio.

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The Philippines has what it takes to mount these events that will have spillover effects to the country’s hospitality sector, and some sectors are pushing for Pres. Marcos to form a task force to cover not just futsal but all top sporting events.

The Philippines lost Chinese tourists for various reasons, but their numbers can be covered by athletes, officials and their families and friends who can unlock the benefits that tourism can reliably bring to a country famed for hospitality like the Philippines.