Philippines eyes Japan’s ‘graying society’ to boost tourism

TOKYO—Elderly Japanese need not be bored, especially if they travel to the Philippines.

The Aquino administration is targeting Japan’s so-called “graying society” to boost the country’s tourism.

Valentino Cabansag, tourism attaché at the Philippine Embassy here, said the country’s popular beaches and tropical climate would be a good come-on for aging Japanese looking for a break from winter.

“When it’s very cold in Japan during winter time, that’s when they get sick, high blood pressure and all,” he said. “We are just four hours away. They can immediately come to the Philippines. It’s affordable.”

Cabansag said the Philippine government could take advantage of the strong yen, which would go a long way in many of the top tourist destinations in the country.

“They could stay with us for… three nights, four days or they could stay for a week,” he said. “These people that are aging, since they have more time, I think this is the best place to be.”

Out of the 127 million people in Japan, 23 percent are said to be 65 years old and above.

But vital to luring more Japanese tourists would be the availability of airlines offering convenient and affordable travel from Japan to the Philippines. He noted that more and more hotels were now under construction, such as the Raffles Residences in Makati City.