Review of Related Literature

Travelarias is programmed to show the tourist destinations in the Philippines. With this, the
tourists as well as the locals can have a guide on the best place to go when in Manila. Since Manila is the
capital and prime gateway of the Philippines, offering a program that will display different tourist
destinations around Manila will encourage more tourists.

According to Henderson (2011), the Philippines has a rich and diverse tourist attraction which was
derived from natural and cultural heritage, however not all attractions are recognized. The main factor
that affects the tourism in the Philippines is its history of political instability. The ongoing uncertainty and
possible disturbance in our country raise questions to the future tourists. As a result, the performance of
Philippines as an international tourist destination remains unsatisfactory compared to the other countries.

In 2001, the Philippines was promoted using the “WOW Philippines” campaign strategy which
drew attention from the local and foreign tourists. With this, foreigners came to Philippines to visit and
see the beautiful places, people, and culture. Different campaigns and information materials were
disseminated to increases awareness of interested visitors regarding places to go as well as providing
souvenirs. (Abat-Parducho, 2015) The preferred destinations are Tagaytay, Cebu Province, Boracay
Islands, and Metro Manila. As mentioned above, Manila is the capital of Philippines and since it is the
prime gateway, it is accessible to everyone. In addition, it offers a wide range of tourist destination which
the tourists could enjoy.

In connection with the strategy of the government “WOW Philippines” before, the Department
of Tourism conducted several trainings and workshops to improve the quality of service for the tourists in
the Philippines. In addition, the participate in various activities such as going to travel fairs international
to attract tourist. However, Travelarias can be an easier way to promote our country. (DOT, 2014)

The program Travelarias will display different tourist attractions as well as the information that
the tourists need such as their mode of transportation, contact number, etc. In addition, the program will
be able to display facts about the place. For instance, the program will be able to display museums such
as National Museum, be informed with the Sunset Boulevard which is The Baywalk wherein different
hotels, casinos, and restaurants are accessible around the area, or go to Rizal Park located in the district
of Ermita and Malate known as Manila’s Tourist Belt. Although, the program only caters Manila, but with
further improvements, Travelarias will be able to cater different locations in the Philippines.

Travelarias will be able to help in promoting the country to foreigners and our locals despite the
disadvantages. As stated by Henderson (2011), the barriers that limits the growth of tourism in our
country includes transportation, accommodation, and the instability that leads to the tourists’ concern
about safety. In addition, investors are worried in investing due to financial risks within the country
impacts the betterment of our country. However, there’s no doubt that the tourist assets of Philippines
are great and with further improvement, our country will be able to gain more tourists. Travelarias will be
showcasing how great the Philippines can be and how rich our culture is. As a result, the disadvantages
may be set aside and leads to tourism growth.

http://www.chios.aegean.gr/tourism/volume_6_no2_art09.pdf
https://www.academia.edu/12159443/Ecotourism_in_the_Philippines_A_Review_of_Literature
http://www.experiencephilippines.org/tourism/destinations-tourism/manila-environs-department-of-
tourism/
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/files/2014%20DOT%20Year-end%20Report_1.pdf