Have you ever experienced to travel? Where was your most distant travel experience?

Filipinos are
really fun of going to places, mingling with people of different culture, tasting delicacies in the regions,
and explore new places they have never been before.

We do travel for various reasons, some visit places for leisure, while others travel for business purposes.
Many travel for both leisure and business such as when the board of directors of a certain company
agrees to hold their meeting in a beach resort in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, some employees
might decide to extend their stay for a couple of days to enjoy. relax and escape from the everyday
routine of their work.

Travelling nowadays has been made easier as compared before. With just a few clicks in the computer,
you can book for reservation, secure travel documents, and then off you go to the desired destination.
You will not worry anymore of being stranded or being lost in places you have never been before
because there are tourism sectors, public and private transports that will surely guide you on your way
home in a safe and convenient manner. For you to understand the role of the
private sector in Philippine tourism and travel, let us classify the sub-sectors into six (6) major travel-
related industries.

1. Transportation Sector
The transportation sector is essential for tourism, encompassing air, land, and sea travel. In the
Philippines, the airline industry began in the 1960s under a "one country, one plane policy," leading to
Philippine Airlines' monopoly. However, with the deregulation in the 1970s, more investors entered the
market, providing travelers with a wider range of airline options to meet their preferences and budgets.

Here are the list of some commercial airlines that have good service reputation and compliant to the
standards set by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

AirAsia Zest

Cebu Pacific

Fil-Asian Airways

PAL Express
Philippine Airlines

Philippine AirAsia

Sky Pasada

Spirit of Manila Airlines

Tigerair Philippines

SEAIR International

2. By Land
As of 2011, the Philippines had over 7.1 million registered motor vehicles, including cars, utility vehicles,
buses, motorcycles, and trucks. That year, passenger traffic reached nearly 50 million. In 2008, railway
transport carried 346.1 million passengers, generating 4.6 billion pesos in revenue. The land
transportation sector includes public buses, tour buses, tricycles, rail transport, taxis, and car
rentals.Here are some of the noted private land transport companies in the Philippines:

Public buses- Philtranco, Santrans, Victory Liner, Mega Bus Line, Baliwag Transit, Bataan Transit Co.,
Bicol Isarog Transport System Inc., Calamba Megatrans, Inc., Dagupan Bus Co., Dimple Star Transport
(Iloilo), Dominion Bus Lines, First North Luzon Transit, Five Star Bus Company, Lucena Lines, Northstar
Transport Inc., Philippine Rabbit, Silver Star, etc.

Railway Transport-Philippine National Railways (PNR), Manila Light Rail Transit System (LRT-1 and MRT-
2), Manila Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3)

Taxi and car rentals- Avis, Budget Rent-A-Car, Dollar Rent-A-Car, R&E Transport, Nissan Rent-A-Car

By the Sea

In 2012, nearly 50 million passengers traveled by sea in the Philippines. Tourists can choose between
shipping lines like Sulpicio Lines and Aboitiz & Co., which offer affordable travel with limited amenities,
or opt for cruise ships that provide a more luxurious experience with first-class facilities. Ferries are also
available for short-distance trips, such as routes from Sorsogon to Samar or Batangas City to Calapan
City.

Oil Companies

Oil companies are crucial to the tourism industry, as fuel is essential for all motor-operated
transportation. The industry's operations heavily rely on these companies for the mobility of people and
goods. Rising fuel prices can quickly impact the country's economic stability. The three major oil
companies in the Philippines—Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, Chevron Philippines, and Total
Philippines—are often referred to as the "big three" and significantly influence the consuming public.

Lodging Industry
The lodging industry aims to provide a memorable experience for guests, despite the comfort of home
being irreplaceable. In the Philippines, there are numerous lodging establishments that cater to diverse
needs for relaxation and enjoyment. The industry's competitiveness is bolstered by the natural
hospitality of Filipinos. Lodging properties vary based on location, luxury, facilities, room size,
management standards, and the types of guests they serve.

Hotels- offer short-term accommodation for sleeping and luxury amenities. They provide guests with
more than just a place to stay, offering a venue for experiencing comfort and extravagance.

Resort hotels- offer guests various recreational amenities like swimming pools, golf courses, restaurants,
and fitness gyms, typically located near beaches, theme parks, and tourist spots.

Business/Corporate Hotel- This type of hotel have facilities suitable for holding meetings, conferences,
conventions, and other business events, making the hotel as an extension of their workplace but in a
much lighter setup.

All-Suite Hotel- offers spacious rooms known as suites or junior suites without concrete partitions, only
curtains or no barriers between different areas like bedrooms and living rooms. Ideal for group
vacationers and families seeking ample space to spend time together.

apartel- is a building with multiple furnished apartments leased to tourists and travelers for longer stays,
providing basic hotel-like services to tenants.

Condotel- It is the lodging establishment in between a condominium and hotel that are also leased to
tourists, similar to apartel.

4. Food and Beverage Industry

Food is essential for humans to function, and the tourism industry serves people from diverse
backgrounds. The food and beverage sector within tourism provides a reliable income source and allows
for the sharing of cultural heritage through native cuisines.Specifically, food and beverage industry
consists of various food service entities such as:

Restaurant This consists of cafeterias, fast-food chains, coffee shops, specialty restaurant, and full-
service restaurant.

Travel food service - This pertains to food service entities in airplanes, cruise ships, trains, hotels and
motels.

Institutional food service - This describes the presence of food service sector in companies, nursing
homes and hospitals, and other service- related entities.

5. Attractions and Activities Industry

Travelers seek places with exciting attractions, stunning natural landscapes, entertaining events, and
artistic creations. These factors motivate people to explore new destinations and attend events like
concerts featuring international stars. Educational trips also play a role by providing students with real-
world learning experiences at historical sites, industrial plants, and amusement parks.Tourist attractions
and events in the Philippines mainly involve the following activities:

1. Recreation- facilities provide relaxation and stress relief for visitors during their free time, including
amusement parks, resorts, casinos, fitness centers, spas, and more.

2. Shopping- is not only a stress-relieving activity but also a source of income for entrepreneurs, with
various shopping facilities including shopping centers, malls, boutiques, supermarkets, and more playing
a significant role in the industry.

3. Entertainment This pertains to any activities that catch the attention of the audience through drama,
music, dance, storytelling and others. Facilities associated to entertainment are theater and movie
houses, concerts, sports events, festivals, etc

4. Education-These are places and facilities that enrich the learning of tourists in terms of culture,
historical events and heroes, inventions, innovations and technology. It includes historical parks and
monuments, relevant landmarks, museums, and others.

6 . Other Private Factors

Broadcast media plays a critical role in promoting tourism in the Philippines by reaching a wide audience
through radio and television. With 85% of households having access to radio and 65% to television, the
media significantly influences public perception and awareness of travel destinations, tips, legal
requirements, and other tourism-related information. This impact extends to various private sectors,
aligning them with broadcast media to leverage its ability to shape a positive image of the tourism
industry and facilitate public engagement.

Publishing Companies- The main task of publishing companies is to provide concrete guides and
evidence for travelers and tourists, keeping the public updated on new trends and happenings in the
tourism industry through printed ads.

Publishing Companies- printed ads serve as concrete guide and evidence for travelers and tourists. It is
the task of publishing companies to ensure that the public is always updated of the new trends and
happenings in the tourism industry.

ITC Service Provider- They act as a support group for different travel organizations in
producingelectronic and printed manuals, guidebooks, atlases, time table, and operational handbooks
including Computerized Reservation System (CRS) and Global Distribution Systems (GDS)
Marketing and Public Relations Organizations- These are private entities that plan and manage
marketing research, sales marketing activities, and conduct place analysis for possible new
markets.Event Organizers These are sectors involved in the planning and organization of events
associated to tourism. They coordinate with lodging establishments for venues of meetings,
conventions, exhibits, and other corporate activities of the client company.

Miscellaneous Service- These are entities that might be apart from the tourism industry, yet should be
considered as affiliated sector because of the essential services they cater for the tourist and travelers. It
includes the hospitals, nurseries, police, communication, trash collection and disposal, insurance, and
others.