Truly A Tourist Haven

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This country of approximately 7,100 islands all huge and small, is truly a tourist haven. Everything that a tourist or a traveler sees and hears tends to work for his comfort, satisfaction and convenience. So that at the end of his journey to this beautiful country, the tourist takes with him pleasant memories of a successful visit. What attracts foreign tourists to this fantastic country is, of course, its pristine beaches that abound all over the archipelago and its historical sites that have been preserved and fully maintained. While Boracay and Puerto Galera beaches are known world over, one should not disregard the lure and beauty of other Philippine beaches that have been discovered and developed and its other still-to-be discovered beaches that surround this island country. It should only follow that the full attention of the Philippine government now is to encourage private tourist industry and provincial governments to team up to develop local tourism in their respective areas of operation. Tourism is a great dollar-earner for the country. Notwithstanding, what makes this country a magnet for foreign tourists is its friendly people and its clean surroundings. It is never a rarity to observe obvious efforts of cleanliness anywhere you travel in the country. Clean roads and clean sidewalks complement the beautiful tourist spots that foreign tourists hunger to visit. If first impresssion is the order of business for foreign visitors, then the impact of cleanliness in the country's surroundings will simply draw amazement and awe. Even its public comfort rooms are clean and are always open for use. A user will just shell out a small fee for its maintenance. But still, the issue of cleanliness is as a blot in the country's image is a thing of the past. Then there's the availability of money changer shops almost everywhere. It truly makes the traveler less concerned about the financial aspects of his journey. ATM machines that accept international transactions are now being made available for foreign travelers. True enough, all that a tourist should be concerned about is where to go next to make full use of his time in this country. Finally, courtesy and openness of its people are the major factors that will invite visitors to this country. Filipinos from all walks of life are just respectful of foreign tourists. Evidence of it abound when you deal with hotel clerks and employees, travel agents, service personnel in restaurants and nightclubs, and from the common folks that the tourists encounter and meet as they go about with their travels to the various places of interests around the country. People in general, take it as their duty to impress and assist tourists as they go about with their visit to this island-country. There is a concerted effort by all to really make tourism not just a major money-making industry in the country, but for it to be a bridge to earn as many friends as possible from the international community. In a way, foreign tourists will find out in their that the Philioppines has now become a part of the global tourist village.

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