Airports closed, hotels closed, shopping malls closed, retail shops closed, spas closed, casinos closed, restaurants closed, themed and water parks closed — the list goes on.

In the center of this catastrophe, lies on all important but vexatious segment of the Philippines’ tourist market — the Chinese. For being number 2 in terms of tourist arrivals — next to the Koreans — in 2019, the 1.74 million visitors was expected to overtake the Koreans and hit the 2 million mark this year if not for the COVID19. More than one fifth or 21% of our arrivals of 8.26 million in 2019 are Chinese and combine them with the Koreans, we are locked down (pun intended) with 45% visitors just from these two North Asian countries.

The Chinese are such formidable but yet obnoxious (not all, of course) travelers and big spenders that they are contributing so heavily to our ASEAN neighbors’ tourist trade as well. In 2019, eleven million of them visited Thailand ringing up the cash register with a boggling $17B. In Singapore, 3.6 million Chinese spent $3.2B. Cambodia – oh, so reliant on them – attracted 2.4 million Chinese (38% of 5.3 arrivals) with $4.35B in tourist receipts contributing 12.7% to the country’s GDP. 

Malaysia recorded 3.26 million Chinese out of total arrivals of 20.1 million; In 2019 Vietnam, inspite of a strained hostile relationship, still welcomed 5.81 million of their next door neighbors, up by a hefty 16.2% over 2018 while Indonesia with gem destinations like Bali and Borobudur attracted over 2 million.

Further afield, the more affluent Chinese also flooded (another pun intended) the canals of Italy by contributing 6 million tourists to the country’s total arrival of 62.9 million in 2019. In Australia just 1.4 million China men and women spent $11.9 B  and contributed 26% to the total tourist expenditure. Ah, these are the ones Secretary Berna Puyat and our industry leaders are wishing for.

Malaysia recorded 3.26 million Chinese out of total arrivals of 20.1 million; In 2019 Vietnam, inspite of a strained hostile relationship, still welcomed 5.81 million of their next door neighbors, up by a hefty 16.2% over 2018 while Indonesia with gem destinations like Bali and Borobudur attracted over 2 million.

Further afield, the more affluent Chinese also flooded (another pun intended) the canals of Italy by contributing 6 million tourists to the country’s total arrival of 62.9 million in 2019. In Australia just 1.4 million China men and women spent $11.9 B  and contributed 26% to the total tourist expenditure. Ah, these are the ones Secretary Berna Puyat and our industry leaders are wishing for.

One cynic in Venice complained that with 6 million undisciplined and unhygienic Chinese roaming along the canals of Venice, no wonder the water level has risen and the town flooded. Ah, the price one has to pay. Shockingly  there are videos of our Chinese mga kapatid (brethen) spitting and defecating along the Venetian streets and mistaking the Grande Canale for a Roman bath with wife giving him a body scrub!! Remember the proverb : When in Rome, do what the Romans do!