菲律宾旅游业发展新契机 吸引国人成为关键（在线收听）

菲律宾旅游业发展新契机 吸引国人成为关键 

When international visitors touch down in the Philippine capital, they do not have very far to go to reach the casinos.

当国际游客抵达菲律宾首都时，他们并不需要走太远就能够找到赌场。

Entertainment City is located adjacent to the international airport. Two of its four planned casinos are now open for business. That includes the new resort, the City of Dreams.

娱乐城紧邻国际机场。在此筹建的4座赌场当中的2座已对外营业。其中包括名为梦之城的新兴度假区。

When it opened in February, gaming officials said this hotel and casino complex will help turn Manila into the next Macau, which has long been Asia's gambling hub.

在2月份开业之时，博彩业官员表示这一汇集酒店及赌场于一身的度假区会帮助马尼拉变成下一个澳门。而澳门长时间占据亚洲博彩的中心。

Manila-based travel writer Carlo Velasco says his city still has a ways to go before that can happen. But he says more casinos can be good for the local economy.

但在马尼拉定居的旅行作家卡罗·维拉斯科表示马尼拉距实现这样的目标还有很长的路要走。但是他同时也表示更多的赌场会对当地经济发展有所助益。

“We do have a need to create or diversify our tourism in Manila. As you can see Manila as a tourism destination is limited in terms of appeal to the international market.”

“我们需要兴建更多或让马尼拉旅游业更加多元化。正如你看到的，马尼拉作为旅游胜地在对国际市场方面的吸引力方面仍然有限。”

And in order to make Manila's gaming industry a success, Velasco says foreign gamblers are essential.

维拉斯科表示为了使马尼拉获得成功，国外游客就显得十分必要。

“The casinos in the Philippines need to appeal to the high rollers and most of them come from the international market, mainly China.”

“菲律宾的赌场需要吸引那些挥金如土的玩家，而这些人大多数来自如中国等的国际市场。”

Chinese travelers were the fourth largest nationality that visited the Philippines in 2014. Some observers say this is a market that the country cannot miss out on.

中国游客到访菲律宾的人数2014年在所有国家中名列第4位。一些观察人士认为菲律宾不应错过这个市场。

Edieser De la Santa lectures at the University of the Philippines Asian Institute of Tourism.

菲律宾大学亚洲旅游研究院讲师埃迪阿瑟·德拉·桑塔发表了自己的看法。

“Chinese tourists travel in droves, they spend a lot of money and it's forecast by the World Tourism Organization to be the number one tourism market in the world.”

“中国游客往往成群结队而来，而且他们会花很多钱。世界旅游组织预计中国未来会成为世界头号旅游市场。”

But since Beijing issued a travel warning for the Philippines late last year, the number of Chinese tourists here has been on the decline.

但自去年晚些时候北京方面发布了就菲律宾的相关旅游警告以来，中国游客的数量已经呈现下降趋势。

De la Santa says the move was most likely in retaliation for territorial disputes with Manila in the South China Sea.

德拉·桑塔表示此举很可能是对于南中国海领土争端问题的回应。

But the City of Dreams casino does not seem worried about the decline in Chinese tour groups. Representatives say they are focused on the domestic market and attracting other Asian gamblers.

但“梦之城”赌场似乎并不担心中国旅游团的减少。赌场方面表示他们会更加关注国内市场并且吸引其他亚洲游客。