Transnational Project Planning Proposal: U.S. – Korea Philippines Tourism Conference
“This is no longer a vacation. It's a quest. It's a quest for fun. You're gonna have fun, and I'm gonna have fun... We're all gonna have so much [expletive] fun we're gonna need plastic surgery to remove our [expletive] smiles!” (Ramis, 1983). This quote comes from the quintessential American road trip film, National Lampoon’s Vacation, and although it may be a look into a tradition that is no longer exercised in the same way, vacations still account for a notable portion of American lives. Behavioral and occupation health fields have conducted studies that consistently demonstrate the adverse impact of stress stemming from the workplace. These studies have further shown that recovery after work can occur between workdays, and during longer periods of time such as vacations, making meta/ macro-recovery, respectively. Positive emotions experienced during vacation or during related activities have also been shown to strengthen interpersonal relationships. They are also useful for interrupting negative thought patterns and habits (de Bloom, et al., 2010). These reasons are likely why vacation has come to be one of the most considered elements of education and employment plans. In the United States, leisure travel has been found to occupy 27% of long-distance travel (Van Nostrand, Sivaraman, & Pinjari, 2013). Looking at the results of these types of studies would seem to indicate what most people already believe; vacation is an important part of work-life-balance. In addition to the health and recovery benefits derived from vacations, there are benefits to the economies of the areas visited by vacationers. At the most visible layer, the travel and tourism industries provide domestic jobs. According to the company Marriot, a new hotel opening can provide 1,000 new jobs. For every five rooms, there are three jobs created. This does not include the construction jobs or the jobs related to maintaining the building and property (Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, 2013).
Introduction:
A conference for recruiting investors and future tourists, from Korea and the United States, to responsibly develop tourist destinations in the Philippines would be of benefit to all countries involved. A conference of this type would bring together potential investors from Korea and the United States that are interested in supporting various roles and services related to tourism in beach areas of the Philippines. These basic elements include things such as infrastructure, transportation, accommodations, food, and multiple other activities for tourists. Investors from the U.S. and Korea will be interested in the potential offered in these areas. The initial costs are significantly lower than popular destinations such as Hawaii. In addition to the individuals and organizations that would be attending to determine how to bring their capital into the situation, the people that would visit as tourists would also be interested in the same reasons. Beautiful beach destinations at much cheaper prices and lower population density are desirable benefits for both. This will also bring economic benefits to the local population. In addition to the potential economic benefits of the conference, it will also be an opportunity for cultural exchanges between all three countries.
Background:
Beach areas in the Philippines, such as the famously known white sand beaches of the 0.3-square-kilometer islet of Boracay, have generated tourist revenues of close to $1 billion (USD) as recently as 2017, which was a 15% increase of the previous year (Jennings, 2019). The zones need basic infrastructure, transportation, hotels and enough activities that tourists will spread out and avoid crowding. Although this scale of business has created many employment opportunities for the local populace and generated revenue for the local government, an unfortunate byproduct was the local economy outgrowing and outpacing the capacity of the existing infrastructure. This resulted in nearly two million tourists visiting in 2017; however, the existing infrastructure was rated for a capacity of only half a million. According to reports by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, this over capacity resulted in deforestation, a production of garbage and refuse that ended up in the streets and even the surrounding ocean. These types of results highlighted the fact that the demand for tourism exists but the need for proper planning to accommodate this market also exists. This creates a situation in which there are opportunities for investors to invest in both the building and operating of the needed infrastructure. The Philippines government has recognized this and is interested in foreign investors and developers that make significant contributions to both. As part of their response to the previous problems stemming from the explosion in tourism, the government has created programs and policies to encourage well planned and ethical building. This includes things such as qualifications for 50 year land leases, six year tax holidays, and additional tax breaks for being environmentally conscious (Jennings, 2019). After implementing these new policies and practices, the Philippines saw a 7.7% increase in tourist arrivals, which translates to 7.1 million. When looking at these numbers, South Korea held the top spot with 1,587,959 total tourist arrivals and the United States occupied the third spot with 1,034,396 total tourist arrivals (Department of Trade and Industry, 2020). Seeing these numbers, it seems that there is a great opportunity to organize a way in which all three countries can be brought together for the benefit of enterprises, individuals, and the environment.
My proposal is that a transnational conference be held that addresses these elements and will provide a forum in which participants will receive the most current news on significant trends, policies, regulations, and opportunities in tourism investment related to the Philippines. To successfully organize this conference, the stakeholders from which commitments and permissions will be required, need to be identified. The first of which should be the local government of the areas in which investments are being explored. Looking at the nation of the Philippines, the main national level government organization in the Philippines that will be involved is the Department of Tourism (DOT). The mission of the Philippines DOT is to be the primary government agency responsible for encouraging, promoting, and developing tourism to be a significant socio-economic activity that generates revenues from foreign currency and employment. This is performed with the goal of promoting benefits from tourism that support both the private and public sectors (Philippines DOT, 2020). By cooperating with the Philippines DOT, it will ensure that the government officials with the highest authorities related to tourism in the Philippines are on board and invested in these activities. Since the agency is the one responsible for creating integrated marketing and promotional activities for spreading information, liaising with local communities, conducting special events, and other elements specific to tourism programs, they are best positioned to create success in these endeavors. It will also be important to coordinate with the Tourism Services and Regional Offices Sector of the DOT. This office of the DOT is responsible for the entry, stay, and exit of tourist in the country. They are instrumental in ensuring that compliance with established polices is upheld and that all related facilities and services are conducted and maintained in accordance with acceptable international norms. They also oversee the specifics of DOT’s regional operations, which makes them the frontline workers of the Philippines tourism industry (Philippines DOT, 2020). The more local presiding organization will be the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF). The BIAFT is led by groups consisting of the Department of Natural Resources and the Philippines DOT. Specific to the Boracay region, the BIATF states that it operates in support of the a vision to (2019) “secure and globally-competitive world-class tourism destination with a vibrant, productive and climate-resilient economy that is geared toward inclusive growth and anchored on the sustainable development of its innate natural resources”. This involves strategic interventions that promote and ensure that the island’s rehabilitation and maintenance is sustainable for the long term. This is ensured by following a four themed plan consisting of: enforcement of laws and regulations, pollution control and prevention, rehabilitation and recovery of the ecosystem, and sustainability of island activities (NEDA, 2019). The senior organization in this task force, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) organizes regional and national level meetings in order to provide tasking for key interventions by government and private organizations. This ensures that all activities follow and are incorporated into the overall plans. Any entities wishing to operate in Boracay would best be served by ensuring that they coordinate and cooperate closely with BIAFT.
Endeavoring to solicit and coordinate the participation of these two organizations, the Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF), will demonstrate that the well-being of the local people and local ecosystem is going to be prioritized. This will also ensure that the necessary health and safety protocols will be understood and observed since the presiding government organizations will be directly involved. Making sure that the first steps involve coordinating with these two organizations, the national level and local governments will be sure to appreciate the cultural considerations, in addition to the efforts to contribute to the generation of revenue, investments, employment and growth of the nation overall. It will also be important to ensure that during any conferences, these organizations are afforded the opportunity to address the attendees, as well as host booths where the attendees can receive promotional materials and ask specific questions.
In addition to government agencies and organizations, it is vital to include the participation of relevant cultural organizations in all stages of the planning process. It is important for the local population to welcome tourists and investors and enjoy personal investment by sharing their local culture so that the tourism provides a positive medium for economic and social benefits to the community. The better accepted visitors are in the community the more appealing travel to the community will become and a reciprocal positive experience will result. For this to most likely be successful, it is also important for visitors to be prepared to understand the culture they will be visiting and immersed in. Although the particular tastes and customs of the tourists are an important consideration, it is equally important to ensure that the traditions of the local populace be respected and accounted for. Foreign tourist services and benefits to the local culture and populace should not be seen as mutually exclusive possibilities but should be understood as complementary requirements. The best-case cultural interactions can be facilitated by ensuring that individuals and organizations that are familiar with, and sensitive to, both sides are involved and invested in this success. In order to plan for this, relevant cultural organizations from all three countries will also be invited to present speeches and host booths at the conference as well. These will include organizations such as the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), The Philippine-Korea Economic Council, and the United Filipinos in Korea (UFILKOR). National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) is an U.S. based, non-partisan, non-profit, national level organization that promotes the well-being of Filipinos and Filipino Americans (Fil-Am’s) in the United States. As the largest national affiliation of Fil-Am’s, it oversees Filipino American institutions, umbrella organizations, and individuals in the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, and Pacific Islands (NaFFAA, 2020). Participation by this group would provide resources for educating and connecting U.S. based investors and potential tourists with the Filipino culture. This would also provide employment opportunities for individuals that are already familiar with navigating cultural and commercial differences between the two countries. The Philippine-Korea Economic Council (한.필리핀 경제협력위원회) serves as a forum for enterprises in both countries to communicate and consult bilaterally (Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Republic of the Philippines, 2005). This organization would provide valuable insight and opportunities to liaison between South Korea and the Philippines, since they are already involved in conducting such activities (Korean Economy News, 1997). United Filipinos in Korea (UFILKOR) was formerly known as UPIKOR (United Pinoys in Korea) and was organized through the collaboration of multiple organizations such as the Philippine Embassy, the Seoul Global Center and several Korean-Filipino organizations. The purpose of this organization is to promote Filipino culture, tradition, and heritage in Korea. This not only supports cultural exchanges but also economic exchanges between Korea and the Philippines. These exchanges help to ensure that Korean-Filipino families are able to participate and contribute within Korean society (Ang, 2018).
Project:
Although the cultural and economic benefits of an ethically sustained tourism industry in the Philippines allows organizations and individuals to benefit and contribute in many different ways, understanding how to effectively represent multiple cultures and organizations is an inherent challenge. Therefore, it is necessary for commercial, government, and cultural organizations to understand the opportunities and methods with which to communicate on a transnational level. My proposal is that a transnational conference be held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). This conference will bring together all the necessary and relevant organizations to facilitate sustainable tourism that will ensure practices that have a low impact on the environment and local culture, as well as produce continuing employment for and development of the community.
Located in Manila, Philippines, it consists of five total buildings, the Delegation Building, Secretariat Building, Plenary Hall, Reception Hall, and the Forum. Each contain features such as multiple elegant halls, Corporate Boardrooms, several meeting rooms, multiple Summit Halls, and banquet halls (MICE, 2020). This makes it an excellent location for hosting this conference as it is considered Asia’s first international convention center. It was originally built to host the World Bank’s IMF Annual Meeting and subsequently became a go to center in the Asia-Pacific region for political summits, medical conventions, and even hosted concerts of world-renowned musical performers. Due to its significance to Philippine history for having pioneered the hosting of prestigious events for the region, such as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, it lends legitimacy and fosters cooperation for all involved. Since it is located in Manila, it also is an excellent location to receive international travelers. This is because it is not only close to the international airport, but also surrounded by internationally famous shopping areas as well as other interesting tourist attractions. Not only are the benefits abundant that surround the convention center, but the amenities and services within are also excellent. The center maintains its own dedicated WiFi services and an onsite IT Support team to maintain the IT requirements of the conference. This includes teleconference capabilities in the meeting rooms. The meeting rooms are also equipped to provide Simultaneous Interpretation Systems (SIS) for two to seven languages, if needed (PICC, 2020).
The Center is also equipped with onsite security that provides 24 hour security, which includes closed circuit television cameras (CCTV), and baggage x-ray machines and metal detectors, patrolling security guards (PICC, 2020). The onsite security will coordinate identification for the attendees of the conference and ensure that each organization and individual that attends will receive badges. These individualized badges will allow them to enter the conference as well as identifies them to the other attendees in order to encourage interaction. Each day of the conference will consist of a breakfast buffet, during which attendees will be encouraged to meet and individual teams can take the time to plan for the day. At the beginning of proceedings, all attendees will meet in the conference hall to hear presentations by the various speakers. Following each presentation there will be time allowed for questions from the audience and the speakers will also be able to provide their contact information as well as information on where their booth will be located during the Expo portion of the conference, to be held on the final day. A midday break will consist of a luncheon provided by the conference and will allow for attendees to regroup and also follow up with members of their teams or to meet with other teams. Following the midday break there will be a final speaker that will lead into business to business (B2B) sessions in assigned classrooms. During this time attendees will be able to meet with individual business to coordinate in more detail. Each day a select number of businesses/orgs will be assigned a classroom for these activities so that not all orgs will be engaged at the same time. The presentations will be organized into one of three days which will be: Sales and Promotions; Infrastructure and Maintenance; and Cultural and Environmental Promotion.
Conclusion:
The overall goal of this conference will be to bring together individuals and organizations from all relevant areas in order to address ethical concerns behind various approaches to investing and participating in the development of sustainable tourism. The various portions of the conference will be geared towards instructional and informational strategies that will assist and challenge all involved to expand beyond their generic and possibly mono-cultural view of business communication. This will help to mitigate common problems encountered when languages, cultures, histories, and politics of various regions are overlooked in the pursuit of business. As was indicated in the previously discussed studies, vacation is an important part of work life balance and this conference can help to facilitate the means by which people are able to achieve that as well as contribute to the work lives of the local population at the same time. A conference for recruiting investors and future tourists, from Korea and the United States, to responsibly develop tourist destinations in the Philippines would be of benefit to all countries involved. A conference of this type would bring together potential investors from Korea and the United States that are interested in supporting the necessary basic elements, as infrastructure, transportation, accommodations, food, and multiple other activities for tourists. By including stakeholders from the national government level down to the individual tourist consumer or local populace citizen, this conference can ensure that all parties involved are prepared to understand and support the cultures of organizations and entities involved. As identified earlier in this proposal, success can be considered when the foreign tourist services and the benefits to the local culture and populace are understood and conducted as complementary requirements.
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