Hello Confused Me,
It's not that it's not a fave tourist destination. Simply, other people from the UK doesn't know where & what Philippines is.
I am even a bit dissapointed if you are in the UK, there's no Tourist destination going to the Philippines. As Travel Bag said, British doesn't want to travel long hours or jumping to another airline or wait longer hours at the airport just to reach Philippines. Some English friends would ask me if Philippines is part of Thailand. It's a shame as there are a lot of beautiful places to explore way back home but Phil gov't failed to market it well. Oh yeah, there's Wow, Philippines http://www.wowphilippines.co.uk/offers/country/UK but it's not promoted well. All you can hear is mostly bad reputations that they heard from other people. I don't blame them. Maybe, they are just in the wrong area of their destination in the Phils.
I agree with you...Yes Pinoys can speak better english than other asians with our tender loving customer care service which is not a skill, but a natural thing to us Pinoys. That's why NHS & private sectors loves it when there are Pinoys working for them.
Talking about DIRTY. There's a lot of dirty areas all over the world. Even here in the UK, some UK holiday hotel destinations are dirty as well. But why focus on the dirty stuff? If you don't like it, go to the other area of the place & explore & stop bragging about it. Like in Cebu, Philippines for example....yes there are dirty areas like other places in the world but have they seen the Sumilon Island, Moalboal Island, Bantayan Island, Camotes Island, Malapascua Island & some resorts in the South & North of Cebu, not to mention the small islets in Mactan area (for island hopping in a day)???? This are only names of the places but with different areas & sites to see.
Lots of beautiful places to explore Philippines attractions by City that tourist doesn't know:
Luzon: Sagada (Sumaguing Cave & Hanging Coffins), Corregidor, Rice Terraces, Mt. Pinatubo, Mt. Mayon, Intramuros, Ilocos Norte, Vigan, Tagaytay (Taal Lake & Volcano), Subic, Clark, etc.
Visayas: Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary (Cebu), Boracay, Bohol, Samar (Calicoan Island), Siquijor, Kawasan Falls Moalboal Cebu, Romblon, Panay, Dumaguete, Tacloban, Iloilo, Calanggaman Island Leyte....etc.
Mindanao: Naked Island & Dako Island Siargao, Camiguin, Surigao, Davao, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Bislig, Bukidnon, Iligan...etc.
Lucky are those who have seen the beauty of half of the 7,107 Islands of the Philippines. Also to mention Palawan's Underground River was among the New 7 Wonders of the World as of 12 Nov 2011.
I guess it's the airline flight frequency as well. It's too much for the airline to spend extra miles on their AvGas like:
*Cathay Pacific it's Heathrow London stop over Hongkong then final destination Manila or Cebu.
*If Malaysian Airline it's Heathrow London stop over Malaysia then final destionation Manila or Cebu.
*Qatar Airlines it's Heathrow London, stop over Qatar then final destination Manila or Cebu.
And a lot of Int'l flights from Heathrow London then stop over before Philippines as Final Destination. There's also Int'l. Airline from Birmingham Airport but longer hours.
Lots of int'l. airline to check like KLM, Singapore & Brunei Airlines, etc...It depends to travellers final destination in the Philippines either in Manila: Ninoy Aquino International Airport or in Cebu: Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority.
Unlike in Malaysia, Thailand, Bali, Vietnam....they are just a bit nearer for a package tour but airline doesn't want to spend extra miles for example you are in Malaysia then will spend another 3-4hrs going to the Philippines just for a tour??? Options would be a holiday in the Philippines then either spend the holiday - locally (depends what's your interest in like nature trekking, scuba diving, bird watching, nature lover trip, extreme adventure, family beach resorts) or international direct flights from Philippines to (asia) Hongkong, Japan, Korea, Brnuei, Malaysia, Vietam for a package tour.
