Filipino Food Tourism Is A Massive Business Opportunity In The Philippines

One of my favorite channels on Youtube called "Strictly Dumpling" by American-Chinese video blogger known as Mike Chen. You can try watching all his videos from different countries while if you're Filipino -- then try watching his videos on the Philippines and see how food tourism plays a part in the tourism industry. Whoever says tourism is just all exploitative and negative (like that sore loser Peke Aeta) has got to be wrong. Tourism plays a part in the economy as long as there's some good preservation measures like land rehabilitation and setting reasonable limitations to the rights of foreigners like not allowing them to throw their garbage or clean your mess up like everybody does whether you are a Filipino or not. 

So how could food tourism work for the Philippine economy? It's really hard to dissociate tourism from food, isn't it? Why not remember the videos of the late Anthony Bourdain? Promoting delicious Filipino food is part of the Philippine tourism industry. It's not all the time that there's a Filipino food outlet in other countries, right? Even if there are but sometimes, eating the food in their native country can be a more different experience. 

Every time there's food tourism then expect extra income which should be expected as taxes. This would mean the time when Filipinos who are running food related businesses such as Filipino "native" food restaurants and those who manufacture Filipino delicacies can get an extra income. Restaurants having tourists eating there would mean extra income. Filipino delicacies can be bought as pasalubong or take home gifts for foreigners. It may also mean some manufacturers of Filipino delicacies such as dried mangoes may want to enter into exporting -- assuming they make really good products that are export-worthy. 

Food tourism's business opportunity may also be entering into the international market outside the Philippines whenever it's applicable. Of course, some countries do prohibit certain types of meat due to various beliefs and practices so choosing the right country and area for one's expansion is also crucial. Some foreigners may not only be interested in establishing a partnership with Filipinos in the Philippines. Some of them may actually be interested in either having an international franchise or opening a 50/50 joint venture in their country with a Filipino partner.

So how can we keep the food tourism industry alive in the local scale? It's not just about corporate profits but also valuing agriculture productivity in order to keep the cycle going. That means there has to be some healthy preservation of farmlands in the rural areas while proper infrastructure and transportation. No agriculture means no food, right? This would mean it's time to also develop the neglected rural farmlands into productive farmlands to keep the food tourism industry going. This will also mean banning chemical farming and start having a budget to mass produce organic farming and to teach farmers how to use biodegradable compost while introducing some modern methods of farming -- without otherwise attempting to change nature.

The other way to keep it alive is through the free market of ideas. How can foreign investors actually benefit food tourism? It's all about having access to new customers and alternative products and services aside from what's available. The local food industry can start getting more transportation services and equipment to help them run the food industry. In a free market of ideas the food industry of the Philippines can find new ways to evolve Filipino food. After all, aren't some of your favorite Filipino dishes born out of foreign influence such as halo-halo is from Japanese shaved ice and many Filipino foods are born out of Spanish influence?