So this is what it has come down to. This is the level to which the Department of Tourism has sunk to promote the country to foreign tourists and which the taxpayer is paying for.
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/05/19/1919055/malling-more-fun-philippines |
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is positioning the country as a shopping destination as it partners with SM Supermalls to launch the “Malling is More Fun in the Philippines” campaign.
“This nationwide campaign invites locals and tourists to experience why shopping, leisure and entertainment in the Philippines is truly more enjoyable,” the DOT said.
Based on DOT data in 2017, shopping was the number one activity of tourists visiting the country, with 51.60 percent of visitors hitting the stores.
Shopping is also where tourists spend money, amounting to $20.90 of the 2017 average daily expenditure per capita of $125.65.
The DOT maintained that building up shopping tourism in the country would also spur economic growth, create millions of jobs, livelihood and enterprises.
SM Supermalls said it continues to serve as a venue for meaningful family bonding moments where everyone can indulge in extraordinary malling experiences with its 70 malls nationwide.
“Malls have become the modern day plaza and safe community spaces for families and friends to share moments together through shopping, dining and fun experiences,” SM Supermalls chief operating officer Steven Tan said.
“SM’s partnership with the (DOT) celebrates the best of the Philippines through a range of fun fairs and fiestas,” Tan added.
As part of the “Malling is More Fun” campaign, mall goers are invited to participate in special activities in SM Supermalls all over the country.
These activities include culinary demos, regional food fairs, exclusive dining deals and the SM Supermarket Chefs Showdown.
This is not a joke. It's all very real. The DOT and SM are partnering up to promote the Philippines' most untapped resource of all: the mall. What about Ayala and Robinson? Why are they being left out of the picture?
One would think the DOT would focus on promoting the Philippines meaning the land with all its natural beauty and special places to see and experience but alas that is not the case.
To achieve the projected growth in tourist numbers and expenditures over the next decade. the Central Philippines will have to move to an investment-driven strategy. Outside of Cebu and Boracay, little investment has taken place in recent years in the Super Region’s tourism sector. The result is that the tourism industry is totally reliant on its natural attractions as the motivation for tourists to visit. But the natural attractions, though unique in many ways, are not sufficiently strong in themselves to attract the numbers required to support a significant tourism sector. This is a primary factor driven strategy and characterized by infrastructure inadequacies, limited investment in product, insufficient accommodation, medium to low quality product and inadequate airlift.
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/tourism_policy.aspx
Can you believe it? The DOT on their very own website admits that the natural attractions of the Philippines "are not sufficiently strong" enough to attract visitors! If the problem is lack of infrastructure which limits access then you would think the DOT would lobby for more roads to be constructed. Rather they have accepted defeat and have now turned to promoting the malls of the Philippines as tourist attractions.
If they are going to promote the Philippines' malls to foreigners as tourist attractions then they need to implement a few very important changes at every mall.
1. Toilet paper
The malls need to put toilet paper in every stall.
Imagine being a first time newbie tourist from the West and you are at the mall enjoying fine Filipino food like McDonald's or Seattle's Best and all of a sudden you need to go. Surprise! There is no toilet paper and now you are in a right mess. What a nightmare. Foreigners, especially westerners, are going to expect toilet paper to be in the bathroom stall and it should be there.
2. Escalator etiquette
Filipinos do not know how to use the escalator and they need drastic education. Signs are not enough. There has to be a whole campaign. Stand on the right, walk on the left. It is annoying as anything to get stuck behind several people leaning on the rails when all you want to do is head on to your destination. Foreigners are not going to expect undisciplined use of the escalator because everywhere else the universal rule of stand on the right and walk on the left is followed.
3. Noise
This is less of a problem but still a problem. Sometimes there will be a sale in the courtyard or centre area of the mall and loud speakers blasting atrocious techno, rap, or rock and pop will be rocking and you cannot even talk to the person you are with. There is no need for this especially inside. Turn it down. Why can't they have one small speaker that is giving information about the sale rather than blaring loud and pointless music from a huge stack?
4. Scammers
I don't know what SM's policy is on kiosks. How do they evaluate sellers who want to rent one for a short time? Some of these people are scammers. I should know I got pulled into one when I was told I would be given a stove for free. This led to a sit down and conversation and more free stuff being offered and a telephone call and then being told I have to pay P7000, the price of one item, to get all the other junk for free. What a waste of my time. What a waste of anyone's time.
5. Credit Cards
Believe it or not not every store at the mall accepts credit cards! This applies mostly to restaurants and kiosks. Do foreigners carry around a lot of cash? They might. They might not. But foreigners are going to be used to the ease of using a card without having to carry around a lot of bills. It is safer for them too. No one wants to be robbed. The malls should make sure all stores are equipped with credit card machines and those who are not should have signs reading, "Cash Only."
If this new DOT campaign is sustained Bacolod City could get an influx of tourists in the coming years.
Shopping can be a fun way to pick up a cool souvenir. I bought a magic carpet at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. There is good food to be had at the night markets in Taipei. I bought my favourite hat at a market in Cusco. However a market is considerably different from the mall. They have a character that is all their own and the products sold are unique and locally made. The mall is corporate conformity offering products foreigners can find back home.
What the DOT is actually doing by promoting malls as tourist destinations is reinforcing a worldwide, homogenous monoculture that has absolutely nothing to do with the Philippines and in fact contributes to the erosion of Filipino culture by assimilating it into the Borg of global consumerism.
It's too bad the DOT is not promoting the markets in the Philippines. Are there any worth promoting to tourists?
If they are going to promote the Philippines' malls to foreigners as tourist attractions then they need to implement a few very important changes at every mall.
1. Toilet paper
The malls need to put toilet paper in every stall.
Imagine being a first time newbie tourist from the West and you are at the mall enjoying fine Filipino food like McDonald's or Seattle's Best and all of a sudden you need to go. Surprise! There is no toilet paper and now you are in a right mess. What a nightmare. Foreigners, especially westerners, are going to expect toilet paper to be in the bathroom stall and it should be there.
 |
| Welcome to the Philippines. Be sure to carry a roll of TP at all times. Just in case. |
2. Escalator etiquette
Filipinos do not know how to use the escalator and they need drastic education. Signs are not enough. There has to be a whole campaign. Stand on the right, walk on the left. It is annoying as anything to get stuck behind several people leaning on the rails when all you want to do is head on to your destination. Foreigners are not going to expect undisciplined use of the escalator because everywhere else the universal rule of stand on the right and walk on the left is followed.
 |
| Totally unacceptable |
3. Noise
This is less of a problem but still a problem. Sometimes there will be a sale in the courtyard or centre area of the mall and loud speakers blasting atrocious techno, rap, or rock and pop will be rocking and you cannot even talk to the person you are with. There is no need for this especially inside. Turn it down. Why can't they have one small speaker that is giving information about the sale rather than blaring loud and pointless music from a huge stack?
 |
| Unnecessary! |
I don't know what SM's policy is on kiosks. How do they evaluate sellers who want to rent one for a short time? Some of these people are scammers. I should know I got pulled into one when I was told I would be given a stove for free. This led to a sit down and conversation and more free stuff being offered and a telephone call and then being told I have to pay P7000, the price of one item, to get all the other junk for free. What a waste of my time. What a waste of anyone's time.
5. Credit Cards
Believe it or not not every store at the mall accepts credit cards! This applies mostly to restaurants and kiosks. Do foreigners carry around a lot of cash? They might. They might not. But foreigners are going to be used to the ease of using a card without having to carry around a lot of bills. It is safer for them too. No one wants to be robbed. The malls should make sure all stores are equipped with credit card machines and those who are not should have signs reading, "Cash Only."
If this new DOT campaign is sustained Bacolod City could get an influx of tourists in the coming years.
 |
| https://www.philstar.com/business/2019/05/25/1920603/megaworld-putting-p12-b-lifestyle-mall-bacolod |
The mall will showcase a blend of neo-classical and art deco architecture, reminiscent of New York City’s Upper East Side cityscape.
“We are curating an architectural masterpiece that depicts the cosmopolitan vibe of our Bacolod township. This is just the first mall that we are building in this township because there is still more room for future expansion,” Tan said.
Thus, the mall’s design will be highlighted by a 48-meter high iconic clock tower that illuminates even at night, making it a major landmark along the six-lane main avenue of the township that stretches from Lopez Jaena St. to Circumferential Road.Hopefully this "lifestyle mall" with an iconic clock tower and modelled after NYC's Upper East Side has toilet paper in the stalls! I doubt it. The special twist of the Philippines is that they will build something so modern and expensive but the toilets won't even have the modern luxury of toilet paper!
Shopping can be a fun way to pick up a cool souvenir. I bought a magic carpet at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. There is good food to be had at the night markets in Taipei. I bought my favourite hat at a market in Cusco. However a market is considerably different from the mall. They have a character that is all their own and the products sold are unique and locally made. The mall is corporate conformity offering products foreigners can find back home.
What the DOT is actually doing by promoting malls as tourist destinations is reinforcing a worldwide, homogenous monoculture that has absolutely nothing to do with the Philippines and in fact contributes to the erosion of Filipino culture by assimilating it into the Borg of global consumerism.
It's too bad the DOT is not promoting the markets in the Philippines. Are there any worth promoting to tourists?
WIFI in Malls: Nowadays you need to submit your number, recieve a code by text, enter that to gain access. Only local phone numbers are accepted. Tourists who may stay just for a few days don't buy a local SIM. Is that how to greet them?
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