Filipinos pay premium to travel 'business class on wheels'
By Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:06:00 05/12/2008
MANILA, Philippines--Victory Liner, the country's largest bus company, is betting on a resurgence in the north face of Philippine tourism as local travelers make do with less vacation money in the face of the rising cost of oil and basic commodities such as rice.
Victory Liner marketing and treasury manager Marivic del Pilar says the bus company has deployed a fleet of luxury coaches to entice local tourist to hit the road this summer and discover Northern Luzon's scenic spots under its "Northern Exposure" program, a tourism promotion project with the Department of Tourism.
"More people are finding ways to go on vacation on a budget with the cost of air travel making trips to Cebu, Bohol, Boracay and Palawan quite prohibitive. Some resort owners in the south are complaining that business isn't that good anymore as in the past few years and this is largely due to cost cutting by corporations and individuals," says Del Pilar.
Del Pilar says that the growing cost consciousness among local tourists have made Northern Luzon an "alluring alternative" for holidays and conventions. "We believe that Northern Luzon has its own tourism jewels but these are not as aggressively promoted by the DOT. With the completion of the North Luzon expressway and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressway, going to the north has become quicker and less hassle," says Del Pilar.
Del Pilar says Victory Liner's move to branch out into the hotel business has allowed it to touch base with DOT officials. "We felt that if local tourists would be assured of clean and safe travel and lodging facilities, more tourists would flock to Northern Luzon and they agreed with our views," says Del Pilar.
The Northern Exposure project gives tourists a detailed information of the best hotels, shopping malls and restaurants located in tourism spots north of Manila that are within the route of Victory Liner's 700-strong fleet such as Baguio, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cagayan Valley and Banaue.
Victory Liner has peppered its terminals with various promotion materials to attract travelers of the attractions in North Luzon.
Del Pilar believes that the key to the Northern Exposure program is making bus travel acceptable to class A and B consumers. "We have had feedback from expats of multinational corporations and North Luzon-based businessmen who have stopped bringing their car after embracing bus travel," says Del Pilar." We think that most of them have discovered that bus travel ain't that bad anymore, it's not just for agents, viajeros or farmers."
Del Pilar credits her company's decision to offer deluxe buses plying Cagayan Valley and Baguio that boast of nonstop travel, bigger leg room, clean toilets and attendants who attend to all the passengers' needs. "We're surprised at the turnout for our luxury coaches, all our trips are fully booked. I used to have doubts on whether Filipinos would pay premium just to travel ala-business class on wheels. But now I don't have any," says Del Pilar.
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