PHILIPPINES: Attack At Manila Casino Resort To Scare Tourists

A gunman fired shots from an assault rifle and set fire to gambling tables at Resort World Manila, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people. The attacker, whose motives are so far unclear, later killed himself, authorities said.

Attacks of this scale are rare in Manila, especially in upscale areas frequented by tourists, which typically have heavy security.

Philippine officials say they don't believe the assailant was motivated by terrorism. But the attack on a major hotel and casino complex near the capital's international airport could still hurt tourism, a key source of income for the developing country.

Nearly two-thirds of visitors to the Philippines in February flew into Manila, according to the country's Department of Tourism, making it the country's biggest arrival hub.

People get good bang for their buck in the Philippines, said David Beirman, a senior lecturer specializing in tourism at the University of Technology Sydney.

But safety and security is now the number one factor in determining where tourists go. It used to be things like value for money, but that's changed. In the short term the attack in Manila is clearly going to have a negative impact on tourism.

Shares in Travellers International Hotel Group, the company that runs the Manila resort, plunged almost 8% on Friday.

The attack's potential reverberations in the tourism industry could spoil a good run for the sector.

The Philippines has experienced a surge in visitors since 2010.

Experts say that's thanks to the relatively stable political environment under former President Benigno Aquino III, as well as a marketing drive by the tourism board and the introduction of the country's first low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific.

Just under 6 million visitors flocked to the Philippines last year, roughly triple the number that arrived in 2000.

Travel accounted for about 8% of gross domestic product in 2016, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. That's higher than the 3%-5% average of most countries, said Bob McKercher, a professor of tourism management at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Tourism numbers have remained strong under President Rodrigo Duterte, who took office in May 2016 and has made headlines with his aggressive war on drugs.

Recent attacks on tourist targets in the Philippines, often involving kidnappings, have typically been concentrated in the southern region of Mindanao, which is home to Islamic militant groups.

More than 100 people have been killed recently in one Mindanao city, where fighters affiliated with ISIS have been engaging in violent clashes with government forces.

Attacks on tourist areas have hurt visitor numbers in other countries. A string of terrorist attacks in Turkey have seriously damaged the country's tourism sector.

The number of tourists entering the country via airports fell 21% in 2016, according to travel intelligence firm ForwardKeys.

But some countries' tourism industries have rebounded quickly following violent attacks.

France hosted 56.3 million visitors on overnight stays in the last quarter of 2016, a 3.9% rise compared with the same period the previous year, according to government figures.

The recovery followed two difficult years for the sector following a series of extremist attacks.

PHILIPPINES: President Rodrigo Duterte Gives Red Card To Interior Minister Ismael Sueno

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has fired the interior minister, his spokesman said Tuesday as infighting and corruption allegations rock his government.

Ismael Sueno, who supervised Duterte's war on drugs that has left thousands dead, was fired on the spot at a cabinet meeting late Monday, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

"The summary dismissal served as a warning that Mr. Duterte would not countenance any questionable or legally untenable decisions by any member of the cabinet," Abella added.

He did not say what these decisions were, but added the sacking formed part of Duterte's "drive for a trustworthy government by addressing issues like corruption".

In a statement issued Monday, hours before his sacking, Sueno, 69, vigorously denied any involvement in corruption, blaming other followers of Duterte for circulating such allegations against him.

"My advocacy against corruption has been strong. My belief is the same as President Duterte in fighting this. So this accusation against me is impossible," said Sueno, a former provincial governor and city mayor.

Sueno said he was being badmouthed by three junior ministers in the Department of the Interior and Local Government, like him also appointed by Duterte.

Asked if Sueno might face further charges, Abella told reporters: "Let us wait for the president to take his subsequent actions."

Sueno's sacking comes a month after Perfecto Yasay left his post as foreign minister after Congress ruled that he lied to them over his US citizenship.

Abella said the loss of another cabinet member was not a sign of trouble but proof that Duterte was serious about restoring trust in government.

He did not say who would replace Sueno, though there has been speculation Duterte would appoint Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, son of the late Philippine dictator.

Former senator Marcos Jnr lost the vice presidential election last year but is contesting the outcome at an election tribunal.

In Congress, two other close Duterte allies, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Congressman Antonio Floirendo, have been publicly feuding for weeks with Duterte trying to stay out of the quarrel.

Alvarez has accused Floirendo, a key contributor in the Duterte election campaign, of corruption, but Floirendo denies the charge.

Duterte won election by a landslide in May largely on his promise to launch a war on illegal drugs.

Although the campaign has proved popular at home, the president has faced international criticism for thousands of killings that human rights advocates say were carried out as part of the antidrug initiative.

PHILIPPINES: New Tourism Slogan To Show Case Duterte Admin's Reforms

The many faces of the country’s colorful festivals can be seen in the Department of Tourism’s It’s More Fun in the Philippines billboard in Manila’s Rizal Park.

There is no stopping the Department of Tourism (DOT) from changing its tourism slogan: "It's More Fun in the Philippines."

Tourism media director Ina Zara-Loyola said Wednesday that the "direction" of the DOT is to come up with a new slogan that would reflect President Rodrigo Duterte's thrust to institute reforms in the country.

Loyola made the statement after several tourism stakeholders in Cebu City expressed concern about the plan of Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo to change the present tourism slogan.

Cebu Association of Tour Operators (CATO) president Edilberto Mendoza Jr. has appealed to Teo to reconsider her decision, saying it would be difficult for the country to start introducing another slogan to the international market again.

"We appreciate everyone's opinion on the matter, most especially our stakeholders and movers like CATO," Loyola said.

"The direction of DOT is to work on a new marketing slogan, one that will reflect the new administration's thrust and the changes happening under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte," she added.

She assured that all stakeholders would be consulted in coming up with the new brand.

"Our partners may rest assured that we will have consultations to acknowledge their valuable inputs," she said.

In her recent visit to Cebu, Teo revealed plans to introduce a new campaign slogan next year.

She noted that it is normal to change the tourism brand when a new administration takes over.

While her pronouncement did not sit well with some, other tourism advocates support Teo's move, hoping that the new branding would be better than the old one.

"Maybe the new administration has fresh ideas they want to try out and launch. Whatever it will be, we hope it will be impactful and reflective of the beauty and brand of our country," Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president Melanie Ng said.

"It’s More Fun in the Philippines" is arguably the most effective campaign slogan of the DOT.

It was launched by former Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez in 2012 and has gained recognition both in the domestic and global market.