Ruel Hinaloc asked:


Explore Paradise Philippines. Take a peek at Filipino’s culture and history as mirrored in century-old churches, ancient forts and modern museums. Paradise Philippines have the top of nature’s paradise pictured thru white-sand beaches and three-layered virgin forests.

Paradise Philippines is blessed with an extensive coastline, ringed with unspoiled beaches and first-class resort facilities. Paradise Philippines’ deep-blue, crystal-clear waters offers about 40,000 square kilometers of coastal reefs teeming with a variety of marine life.

Top Philippine Destination and Paradise Spots

Paradise Philippines is endowed amid a tropical climate offering perfect paradise treat to enjoy the sunlight. Lying in Southeast Asia and surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Paradise Philippines boasts of unsullied beaches, spectacular sunsets, luxuriant pastoral lands, cool mountain weather, brilliant man-made paradise resorts, and dazzling 7,000+ islands.

Paradise Philippines boasts of one or two of the best beaches and scuba diving waters in the world. Witness the vast expanse of nature’s paradise Philippines’ splendor underneath the spell of cool paradise Philippines mountain breeze.

Here are some featured destinations and paradise regions that is living proof of Paradise Philippines reputation of being referred to as Paradise Philippines.

Alona Beach, Paradise Philippines

Panglao Island, Bohol (May 6, 2007) – The Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano has inaugurated the first age of a P600-million upscale resort complex that is riding on the tourism boom in this province. Durano said, referring to the 16-hectare Eskaya Beach Resort & Spa, which is making 70 luxurious villas catering to the rich Filipino tourists and visitors from Europe, the United States, Australia, Japan and Korea.

Donsol, Whale Shark Capital, Paradise Philippines

Once a sleepy coastal village located at the northwestern tip of Sorsogon province, this town now eyes to be a first-class municipality, thanks to giant sea creatures that are now attracting hordes of foreign and local tourists who infuse millions of pesos to the local economy.

Boracay Paradise, Paradise Philippines

Widely known as one of the best swimming destinations in the world, Boracay is blessed with unsullied fine talcum powder-sand beaches. Its tranquil crystal simple waters are best for swimming, sailing, fishing and sunbathing. Boracay in addition boasts of sapphire seas and spectacular sunsets. Countless hidden coves dot the island and tall coconut trees line up along the beaches. Boracay lies at the northwest tip of Panay, in the west Visayas region, off the Sibuyan Sea.

Captivating Guimaras, Paradise Philippines

Nueva Valencia, Guimaras – An Italian couple on a two-month holiday in the Philippines chose to include the present paradise in this itinerary and stayed at the Raymen Beach Resort in December 2006, unperturbed by to know about the oil spill that brought the island province to world attention in August of the same year. “We are just here to see good beaches,” said the Boldo couple, who are just among the hundreds of intercontinental guests who kept coming to Guimaras even in the aftermath of the infamous oil spill.

Wonderful Palawan, Paradise Philippines

The exotic beauty of Palawan remains undefiled. Branded as the country’s survive frontier, Palawan is a sanctuary to an amazing variety of exotic flora and fauna which are found nowhere else. With more as opposed to a thousand islands and islets, Palawan boasts of white-sand beaches, scenic rock formations, underwater rivers and magnificent caves. Palawan is additionally structure to Tubbataha Reef, the only nationwide marine park that made it to the World Heritage List and whose grandeur is comparable to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.

Banaue Rice Terraces, Paradise Philippines

Traversing the rugged terrains of Cordillera highlands in a duration of one week is an adventure in itself and could be an immense learning experience for someone who has the guts to be on the look down to the depths of mountain cliffs to get a good view of the rice terraces. With tall rice terraces at the backdrop and cool breeze shuttling between mountain peaks, a journey across the Cordillera heap ranges exposes one to an atmosphere strangely different from the daily offering of Manila and its suburbs.

Amazing Coron, Paradise Philippines

Coron, a town in the Busuanga Island in Northern Palawan, can charm much the most insensitive amongst men. Its natural beauty can only be described as seductive, giving first-time visitors and repeaters alike a sense of wonder so is hard to shake off.

Cebu City, Paradise Philippines

Cebu City drew 403,326 worldwide visitors in 2005, making the “queen city of the south” the top provincial destination of worldwide travelers. Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) also showed such a Cebu City attracted 1,813 distant Filipinos and 712,938 domestic travelers.

Pagudpud, Paradise Philippines

If Aklan has Boracay, Ilocos has Pagudpud, its northernmost town bordering the South China Sea. The coastal town of Pagudpud is the perfect setting for panoramic movies and photoshoot for travel magazines cover. The town’s main attractions are Saud Beach, famous for its fine white sand stretching for hundreds of meters and Maira-Ira Point, which hides a secluded beach called Blue Lagoon. Other breathtaking landscapes in Pagudpud include Bantay Abot-abot, a natural sculpture carved by the wind and sea, the Mabogabog Falls and the Patapat viaduct that treats motorists to a scenic view of red lushes and green waters of South China Sea.

Bohol, Paradise Philippines

Bohol is one of the loveliest islands in southern Philippines. It is situated at the heart of Visayas and with coastline skimmed by gentle coves and white-sand beaches. Many highways snake along sparkling beaches or leafy rivers where one can stop at any point and jump in. With its rolling hills and plateaus, crystal springs and beaches, the province of Bohol is a picturesque province replete amidst ancestral structures and centuries-old churches.

Business Local Listings asked:


Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc. is the official web site developer of Amnesty International Philippines.

Amnesty International is a global movement of people campaigning actively for the protection of human rights and taking action against human rights abuses. Such action comes in the form of information campaigns through communication and media channels, as well as public pressure through mass demonstrations, vigils and lobbying.

Amnesty International Philippines was officially recognized as an Amnesty International section on January 27, 1987. Among its many accomplishments is its role in the repeal of the Death Penalty Law in the Philippines in 2005 and its participation in the successful campaign to get UN approval for a moratorium on executions in 2007, with the Philippines as co-author and signatory of the resolution.

The Amnesty International Philippines web site developed by Web Dot Com is packed with information that is systematically categorized and labeled. Despite the huge amount of data on the entire site, the visitor is not overwhelmed. Perhaps this is because the landing pages are bright and feature a clean layout which clearly displays the various sections. Navigation is definitely not a problem since links are properly labeled.

Given a prominent position is the link to the Amnesty International Report of 2009. There are Spotlights on Human Rights and Poverty, Violence against Women, Counter Terror with Justice, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). There is a section on News and Updates alongside a section on Appeals for Action. There is a special link to Good News and another one to CampAIgn, the Amnesty International newsletter.

There are buttons labeled Donate to Amnesty International, Join Amnesty International, and More ways to get involved.

There are also several search buttons. One is to select a country where Amnesty International is active and another is to select a country with human rights abuses.

There are buttons leading to the sections on Amnesty International in the Philippines, Act Now, Join Us, Activities and Publications.

The Amnesty International Philippines section is comprised of subsections titled Who We Are, explaining Amnesty International; AI Philippines; Networks, Statute of AI, AIPh ByLaws, UDHR and FAQ.

The Act Now section is comprised of subsections titled Direct Appeals, Urgent Actions and Donate.

The Join Us sections has subsections titled Members, Local Groups, Form a Group and Volunteers.

The Activities section has a list of AI Philippines activities since 1998, categorized by year.

The Publications section contains downloadable materials as well as subsections for the Newsletter, Reports, Library and Archives.

Indeed, the Amnesty International Philippines is a fitting showcase of the web development and design skills of Web Dot Com.

Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc. has been successfully serving an international clientele from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Korea, the British Virgin Islands and the Philippines for the last ten years. From Manila, Web Dot Com offers various business process outsourcing (BPO) services, including outsourcing web development and contact center services.

In the area of web development, the web hosting provider also offers domain name registration and low cost advanced web site development packages. Depending on the client’s needs, this may include advanced interactive database driven web site development, advanced portal development, heavy web based programming, web application development, content management systems, good website design, graphic design and multimedia components including flash animation development, e-commerce site solutions including a shopping cart using osCommerce, web site maintenance and support, search engine optimization, search engine marketing and social media marketing. Its programmers and developers are highly skilled at php, mysql, JavaScript and other internet languages and tools.

Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc. is your One Stop Shop Internet and Contact Center Solutions Vendor for the Global Market. Make it your own web site developer, as well.

Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc.

Address:

2nd Floor, BT&T Center

#20 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave., Libis (C-5),

Quezon City, 1110 Philippines

E-mail: info@webdc.com.ph

Telephone numbers: (632) 634-4625; (632) 635-6104

alexda asked:


Fashion Access, the largest international trade fair for handbags, travelware, footwear, leather and fur garments, and fashion accessories in Asia, was held on 3-5 October 2007, in Hong Kong.

The theme was on the forthcoming season with the slogan ‘Let’s Go Summer 2008′.

The event attracted exhibitors from Europe, the Americas and throughout Australasian.

There were 86 first-time exhibitors (always important for buyers seeking something completely new) from Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Ireland, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom. A greatly expanded handbag section accommodated the wide variety of handbag specialisation in the industry: such as sports, classic and party. Buyers were able to view an even greater range offered by suppliers from all over the world.

The well-established ‘Best of APLF Awards’ again attracted strong competition among exhibitors. A series of seminars covered topics such as visual merchandising for exhibitors; future fashion trends and – what some believe may be the next ‘big thing’ – eco-friendly fashion: with an emphasis on how it can be both fashionable and commercial.

Over the three days Fashion Access welcomed 6,238 buyers, from 63 countries and regions. Significant interest was shown by new buyers from Korea and Thailand: each recorded growth of 32%, followed by visitors from The Philippines and Japan with 27% and 10% growth respectively.

In keeping with the steady development of Fashion Access over the years more resources and facilities have been added to assist buyers (and exhibitors too) forecast emerging trends in materials, colours and designs. The Materials Trends Lounge proved invaluable while the new StyleCast enabled selected exhibitors to display their latest designs to a wide audience.

Fashion Access was held at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Wanchai – the hub of Hong Kong’s vibrant commercial and entertainment district.

Click here to read about Buyers’ Comments, Exhibitors’ Comments:

The next Fashion Access will be held in Hong Kong. It will run concurrently with APLF – Materials, Manufacturing & Technology. Events not to be missed!

The theme will focus on the forthcoming season of winter 20008/09. So,’Let’s Get Ready for Fashion Access Winter 2008/09′.

For more information, please visit www.ishoesclub.com

 

Dating Fish asked:


Philippine women or Filipinas are becoming popular these days, in America or any other Western countries. Filipino girls are famous in their characteristics which are faithful to their husbands, hard-working especially housework, taking good care of their children, and etc. Philippine women are different from traditional Filipino ladies. They are on high-level of education and getting good jobs as Philippine men. In Philippine traditional society, Philippine women can not make their own marriages, but most of their marriages are arranged by elders or the family of the boys. We sometimes feel heart-brokenly for such Philippine brides who got to live with unknown-until-married husbands to the rest of their life. Philippine American are gathered in California, USA at most. Even Philippine American girls who live in USA for a long time, they still keep their family-oriented custom.

There are 7 golden characteristics of Philippine girls or brides that you should know of. We want to say the beauty of Philippine women who are beautiful and gentle, patient and respectful to the Philippine traditional custom; that is, they take a good care of their husband and children. Women in Japan respect their men or their husband from the time they know their men until falling in love, and get married, and become the wives, they always respect the love that is giving by their husbands. A Philippine woman usually does not get divorced if she has an unfaithful husband because she always try to work it out to maintain her family and raise her children.

A Philippine woman usually keeps traditional family custom. They maintain and try to support their family relationship and respect their husbands as well as let their men lead the family. When you meet with A Philippine girl, you will see what I am talking about here, and will see Philippine ladies are the most pretty women on the world. In other words, Philippine women are someone who are honest, pretty, and faithful to their husbands because of their family oriented custom which you rarely find in Western women, generally. When Western guys look at the beautiful yellow skin and skinny body of most of Philippine girls, they will love them. Moreover, their faithful characteristics to their husbands and unlimited satisfaction of taking care of their children make Philippine women unique.

In other words, getting married with Philippine women are the best. Filipino ladies from Asia countries such as Japan, China, Korea, Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and etc are the top. Philippine women who are currently living in the Western countries are the next best. Why Filipino women are the top women? Because they can cook delicious dinner and there are no guilt trips for going out with the guys after getting married. They are skinny, thin, and beautiful and there are no fights between husband and wife. In fact, when a Western guy find and talk to A Philippine woman, they never want to date with Western girls again. Moreover, Filipino ladies always keep classy, cultured, traditional values. So, they are decent wives for Western men. In fact, 7 golden characteristics of Philippine wives are:

1. Philippine girls are skinny, thin, and beautiful;

2. Philippine women can cook daily meals;

3. Philippine ladies are very family oriented;

4. Philippine woman enjoys her housework.

5. Philippine lady takes care of her children;

6. Filipino female is very hardworking and enjoy working;

7. Filipino women rarely goes out for the guys after married;

So, are you ready to find special Philippine girls? Do not wait. Take action now. Join these free Filipino dating services to find that special soul mate of your dream.

Emma Brown asked:


This is a good questions with an easy answer, yes! Thailand has had some political trouble recently but the good news is that most problems have mainly been concentrated in Bangkok. Also there have been no incidents which involved foreigners at all. The Thai people are undoubtedly passionate about the politics of their country but they are also one of the most respectful group of people in the world.

The Thai people respect foreigners and welcome foreigners to their country and this is regardless of whether there are protests or not. So yes this is a good time to go to Thailand and enjoy this wonderful country. Thailand has been for a very long time one of the favorite places for travel in the world and will continue to be for a very long time to come.

One of the most popular and safest destinations in Thailand is Chiang Mai. Located only one house flight from Bangkok it is a peaceful, beautiful and very welcoming destination. Chiang Mai for very good reasons is one of the most visited places in Thailand.

Chiang Mai is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand, and is the capital of Chiang Mai Province. It is located among some of the highest mountains in the country. Chiang Mai has become an increasingly modern city and has many attractions for the thousands of foreign visitors who come each year.

Chiang Mai International Airport receives up to 28 flights a day from Bangkok and also serves as a local hub for services to other northern cities such as Chiang Rai, Phrae and Mae Hong Son. International services also connect Chiang Mai with other regional centers, including Hong Kong (China), Jinghong, (China), Kaohsiung (Taiwan), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Kunming (China), Luang Phrabang (Laos), Mandalay (Myanmar), Manila (Philippines), Seoul (Korea), Siem Reap (Cambodia), Singapore (Singapore), and Taipei (Taiwan).

Chiang Mai is a great place for an eco tour and a meaningful travel experience. The city and surrounding areas have so much to offer. The city itself is such a great holiday spot with many guesthouses and shops and the many temples spread around the city give the city its charm.

Around Chiangmai there are many opportunities for the responsible traveler such as volunteering, hilltribe homestay, trekking and adventure sports. There is so much to do which can keep you busy for a very long time!

What does it mean to be a responsible traveler in Thailand and join an eco tour ? Anyone can be a responsible traveler! Responsible travel or eco travel as it is mostly called means to go travel or join an eco tour that follows the eco way of travel.

The Eco travel way is the essence of responsible travel. Eco travel follows the principles of responsible travel which means a way of travel that conserves the local environment and benefits the well-being of the local people.

It means respecting the local people and environment by leaving the place as you found it, and even improving it by environmental work or volunteering. Mass tourism tends to leave a big footprint which harms the environment and also creates a lot of inconvenience for the local people. Also eco tours try to benefit the local people as much as possible by employing local tour guides and using locally owned and operated facilities.

Christine Layug asked:


Magazines are very general in which covers everything from Art Magazines, Auto and Cycle Magazines, Business and Finance Magazines, Children Magazines, Cooking and Food Magazines, Entertainment Magazines, Fashion Magazines, Health and Fitness Magazines, Home and Gardening Magazines, Lifestyle Magazines, Photography Magazines, Sports Magazines, Teens Magazines, Women’s Magazines and Men’s Magazines. But when it comes to Men’s magazines, especially here in the Philippines, Maxim magazine Philippine is the best choice of all.

Maxim magazine Philippine is an international English language lad magazine based in the United Kingdom and known for its revealing pictorials featuring popular actresses, singers, and female models, of which none are *****.

Maxim is very popular among the men and even the women throughout the world such as Argentina, Canada, India, Indonesia, Israel, Belgium, Romania, the Czech Republic, France (marketed under “Maximal”), Germany, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Russia (where it stands now as the most popular men’s magazine), Serbia, the Philippines (which is known now as Maxim magazine Philippine), Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Ukraine, and Portugal.

Maxim magazine Philippine is one of the most used men’s magazine here in the Philippines next to FHM. So if you’re thinking of buying some Maxim magazine Philippine then why not avail on M-Express. M-Express is the first ever online magazine shop here in the Philippines.

M-Express does not only sell Maxim magazine Philippine but other magazines such as Food Magazine Philippines, Fashion Magazine Philippines, Homestyle magazine philippines, Game magazine philippines and many more.

M-Express doesn’t only sell magazines such as Maxim magazine Philippine but also makes deliveries throughout the country for free. M-Express manages this because M-Express is powered by the most reliable courier service here in the Philippines, the LBC. M-EXPRESS is the first ever door-to-door magazine delivery service in the country. It is the convenient way to order magazines anytime and anywhere you are in the Philippines. You can place subscriptions or order per title allowing you the flexibility to control your budget.

For more information on Maxim magazine Philippine, then visit http://www.m-express.com.ph

Business Local Listings asked:


It could have been a daunting task designing a website for the Wedding and Portrait Photographers of the Philippines (WPPP) considering the fact that this organization is comprised of masters of aesthetics. Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc., did not, however, flinch from the task. Its web developers and web designers stood up to the challenge and produced wppp.ph. Indeed, the flash website displays the breathtaking photographs of WPPP members at their best.

Founded on March 31, 2001 and duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the WPPP is an organization of professional wedding photographers. With a mere ten members in the original group, the organization has now grown to include 78 active members from Metro Manila, Baguio, Boracay, Bulacan, Cavite, Davao, Iloilo, Laguna, Batangas, La Union, Pampanga, Vigan, Bacolod, Legazpi City and Sorsogon.

The WPPP goal is to be the leading organization of wedding photographers locally to represent Philippine wedding photographers internationally. Its mission and vision encompasses the upliftment of photography and production work in order to shape the future of the industry. It aims to develop artistic and technical proficiency, competence and dedication among professional wedding photographers.

As part of its program, the WPPP fosters knowledge and idea sharing and learning among its members, upgrading skills and techniques through technical trainings, seminars and symposia. Networking is encouraged so that the most number of members benefit from resources.

All these are directed toward continually improving services to clients so as to gain their trust and respect, and to build and nurture lasting relationships with them. The WPPP believes that only such level of quality service will create a truly positive public perception of the industry.

Part of the image building efforts of the WPPP is its website. Aside from showcasing some of the stunning photographs of members, it features news on WPPP events and activities. The website also contains information on membership requirements and application to the organization.

It is not surprising that Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc. would deliver excellent results on the WPPP website. After all, Web Dot Com has been providing full and advanced website development services to corporate and individual clients around the world for the past ten years. Its clientele comes from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Korea and the British Virgin Islands, aside from the Philippines.

Web Dot Com has in-house programmers and designers highly skilled in advanced interactive database driven web site development, advanced portal development, heavy web based programming, web application development, content management systems, web site design, graphic design and multimedia components including flash animation development, e-commerce site solutions, web site maintenance and support, search engine optimization, search engine marketing and social media marketing.

The partnership between the WPPP and Web Dot Com led to the conceptualization and actualization of a Philippine-based site providing individual websites that could stand as online portfolios for professional photographers. This was envisioned to enable professional Filipino photographers to promote their world class talent to the world market. The result is azuldomain.com. It offers free hosting, free domain name registration and free email accounts, as well as a choice of unique and beautiful templates that are ideal frames for exquisite photographs. Each template is customizable and unlimited updates can be done any time through intuitive website creation tools and easy web management tools.

Azuldomain.com stands as a concrete testimony to the unified goals of the WPPP and Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc. to highlight and endorse the capabilities of Filipinos globally. With azuldomain.com, the bond between these two organizations is affirmed.

Jack R. Lesley, Jr. asked:


Outsourcing: A love / **** relationship for U.S. I.T. professionals.  Ask the average employee in any I.T. organization, and hearing about fear of jobs going to India and China is almost unavoidable.  Although many have started the move toward business service management (BSM) to address the chaotic labor trends, I.T. labor itself still consumes over one-third of I.T. budgets.  This figure is perfectly in line with a recently published Gartner report stating that 37% of the typical I.T. budget goes directly to personnel costs.  What are you as the CIO going to do to manage this frenzied situation?  Is outsourcing, or “offshoring,” the answer?  

 

How can you outsource your operations to a foreign country and still maintain compliance with best practice frameworks such as ITIL or MOF?  How do you maintain Sarbanes-Oxley, PCI, or HIPAA compliance when utilizing 100% offshore resources with far less control?  

 

Almost everyone in the I.T. sector has at least one story about various operational tasks being “offshored” to India, and no call-center, network operations center (NOC), or infrastructure team has been immune to rumors of jobs going offshore.  No longer are the cities of Mumbai and Delhi simple manufacturing hubs and suppliers of raw materials.  The country is home to some of the largest corporate call centers and development centers in the world.  In late 2005, the Indian outsourcing workforce numbered 350,000 individuals.  That total is now estimated at well over 800,000, with many new positions going unfilled due to the lack of qualified candidates.

 

Eleven years ago this month, USA Today published an article titled “Can political instability be eliminated in India?”  Looking solely at the news of the past six months, the answer to that question is an obvious NO.

 

The trend toward a twenty-first century India has not fostered the sort of sweeping political change one might expect from the world’s most populous democracy.  Moreover, the unwillingness of the Indian government to more robustly combat intellectual property theft is the stuff that causes your legal team to lose MANY nights of sleep.

 

Recession has made its way to India as well.  The 4 December 2008 issue of The New York Times ran an article discussing the wave of outsourcing firms scaling back their daily operations in India due to the unhealthy global financial climate.  As of this week, the Indian rupee is at a record low.

 

India makes a strong case as the “global back office,” yet it has failed to produce an environment supporting front-office operations such as product innovation and corporate strategies.  The prevailing thought of the past 5 years has been that Indian outsourcing firms are masterful in the art of efficiency and product development measures.  What about now?

 

On 7 January 2009, Indian stocks took a nosedive in the wake of announcements by Satyam Computer Services that corporate profit summaries had been inflated for several years.  The announcement by Satyam’s chairman and co-founder that he had directly falsified accounting documents on an ongoing basis has thrown the entire Indian outsourcing industry into dramatic turmoil.  As a provider of back-office services for many of the largest banks and healthcare institutions in the world, the result of the SATYAM crisis is nothing short of devastating.

 

By Friday, January 9, 2009 news sources were reporting that interim CEO Ram Mynampati does not have faith that the firm can continue past the next few weeks.  Mynampati stated they were working to find the liquidity to pay current employees, suppliers, and creditors. 

 

In less than a week, the crisis has crossed the Pacific Ocean and hit U.S. shores.  Auditing giant PricewaterhouseCoopers is expected to pay a hefty price for the emerging fraud.  The auditor has been responsible for Satyam financial oversight for over eight years, and Satyam investors are expected to go to court in attempts to recoup losses. According to legal sources from within India, most are likely to attack PricewaterhouseCoopers directly rather than Satyam.

 

The tragic events of November 2008 in Mumbai clearly show that the concerns go much deeper. Over 200 people were killed in the attacks, and the entire central business district in Mumbai ground to a halt for several days, resulting in billions of dollars in lost labor.   Within one week of the attacks, five high-profile Indian cabinet members were forced to resign.  On 1 December, TIME magazine posed the question “Will India’s Government Survive the Mumbai Massacre?”

 

Many companies are selecting alternate destinations, and some trends show an actual migration OUT of India to other knowledge-rich environments such as Singapore, The Philippines, Armenia, Pakistan, and various Latin American countries.  Companies requiring less interaction with the public (for example, a software development center) may select destinations where English is not the primary language, or in some cases, is not a language spoken at all.  Companies building public-facing operations such as helpdesks or call centers are being forced to reconsider earlier decisions, and many are moving to more English-centric countries like Taiwan and the Philippines.

 

Key players are making a strong case for themselves as these trends develop.  In the Western Hemisphere, Costa Rica and Peru have marvelous records of rock-solid software development and high customer satisfaction ratings.  In Europe, Armenia is emerging as a major powerhouse and model of efficiency.  In Asia, many are discovering that the almost-perfect English spoken in Taiwan and the Philippines combined with some labor costs equal to or less than those in India make each a destination of choice.  In fact, the November 30 edition of The New York Times Magazine featured a four-page article touting the viability of the Philippines as a premier outsourcing destination.

 

While China, Russia, and Korea have fantastic talent pools, the labor cost and in some cases difficulty dealing with local and national governments make them less attractive to some U.S. based companies.

 

While being one of the lesser-mentioned yet more historically colorful European countries, Armenia is a virtual strongbox of extraordinary talent.  As mentioned by the CIA World Factbook, 18% of Armenia’s current population is under the age of 15, meaning the talent pool is poised for huge growth.

 

Armenia declared independence from the former Soviet Union on 21 September, 1991 and is now a bastion of political stability (a particularly attractive factor for the O&O industry).  A healthy GDP real-growth rate of 13.7% makes Armenia one of the top producers in the EU.

 

Additionally, Armenia is rapidly becoming a major challenger in the index of relative economic freedom. As reported by the Heritage Foundation, the change has been nothing short of amazing. In 2000, Armenia ranked 84th in relative economic freedom. As of late 2008, Armenia ranked 28th – ahead of European powerhouses Spain (31st) and France (48th) and just behind Sweden at 27th.

 

Hong Kong ranked #1 on the list for 2008, with the U.S.A. at #5.

 

The appraisal of economic freedom is based on 50 economic indicators within the following categories: capital flow and foreign investment; financial systems; monetary, budget, and trade policies; salaries and prices; government interference in the economy; property rights and regulations; and black markets.

 

Many outsourcing experts are finding a presence in Armenia quite successful for many of their clients and partners.  The cooperation offered by the Armenian government to ease immigration and visa restrictions for executives and other technical employees traveling between Armenia and the United States has been a huge advantage to many, and this is compounded by great satisfaction with the talent pool offered by this European country.

 

Having a stable presence in Armenia is but one example of alternatives to the current Indian instability.  There are numerous other alternatives as well, and diversification is going to be the keystone to success over the next few years.  

 

As pointed out by one CEO, “…the logical approach for today’s global economy is to diversify.  Many of my contacts who previously invested heavily in Indian resources are already asking for new alternatives, and we believe the best approach is to simply avoid the old cliché of “putting all the eggs in one basket.”

 

Singapore has emerged as another destination of choice, with an extremely stable economy and government as well as strictly enforced laws on intellectual property rights.  Perfect English is widely spoken, and the country is considered one of the top-five technical innovators in the world.

 

Originally founded as a British trading colony in 1818, Singapore joined the Malaysian federation for a short two years ending in 1965. Now completely independent, Singapore is undeniably one of the most prosperous, diverse, and cosmopolitan destinations in the world and has a per capita GDP greater than that of many “leaders” in Western Europe.  

 

In 2006, the World Bank rated Singapore as “the most business-friendly economy in the world.”  Immediately behind London, New York, and Tokyo, Singapore is the fourth largest foreign exchange trading hub in the world.  

 

The country is home to three major state universities:  The National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University, resulting in a literacy rate over 93%.  The island nation accomplishes it all with a geographic size only three times that of Washington, DC.

 

The Philippines and U.S.A. share not only a very similar legal system but the English language as well. Companies in the legal sector consider this fact especially attractive. Once a U.S. colony, the Philippines has a workforce that is already familiar with many legal factors not readily obvious to those in countries with less of a seasoned relationship with the United States. 

 

A few facts about the Philippines:

 Population of 91,000,000 as of 2008  550,000 college graduates per year on Average  Educated labor pool of Over 30,000,000  Entry-level I.T. salaries average $2500—$8000 USD P.A.  Top-quality CBD real-estate costs average $17 PSF  95% literacy rate  English as a primary language

 

One of the top-three law firms in the world relocated their entire network operations center from Chicago to Fort Bonifacio, Manila, in 2003. That operation has since grown much larger, also encompassing legal operations and software development.

 

From 1997 to 2008, companies such as Citibank, Fluor, IBM, Convergys, Telus, HSBC, Dell, JP Morgan, Siemens, and Deutsche Bank have all opened major offshore facilities in the Metro Manila area of the Philippines.

 

More than just a country filled with call centers, the Philippines is home to dozens of offshore operations involving network operations, wireless services, energy, shipping and logistics, legal and medical transcription, finance and accounting, and software development.

 

The country is now recognized by some as the top destination of choice in Southeast Asia. In 2006, the country generated in excess of $3.0 billion in outsourced operations, and that figure is expected to more than double by the end of 2009. The Philippine government has targeted a global market share of 8 to 10% in the O&O market by 2011.

 

Regardless of where you go, there is no “single best answer” to every situation.  When looking for that “trusted advisor” to help you make your next outsourcing, offshoring, development, or infrastructure decision, you need a firm with the knowledge, process, devotion, and proven direction to make it a success.

 

Only by in-depth knowledge of your core business can any firm help in an effective O&O engagement. You need a firm that endeavors to understand and optimize how the process will enhance not only the I.T. department, but all other business units as well.

 

 O&O will continue to gain momentum over the next few years, regardless of what happens in the Indian subcontinent.   The recent events in India and the surrounding territories are but a small stumbling-block to an ever-evolving global business model.  

 

Businesses today realize that three very important factors have emerged in the outsourcing and offshoring industry: 



O&O cannot and should not be based on the “one size fits all” methodology anymore.   Diversification is the key. Every situation is different. Unless you are prepared to invest in learning foreign tax and H/R systems, unfamiliar holidays, unique infrastructure, governmental regulations, and possibly a few foreign languages, you NEED a trusted advisor on your side.



 

Companies and their investors who spent the billions of dollars (and thousands of man-hours) building outsourced operations based solely in India have found that trying to separate the technology from the actual business process is not only foolish—it is futile.   Outsourcing and offshoring can provide limitless possibilities, but they must be done with precision , care, and proper distribution.  Rather than outright withdrawal from offshoring operations, now is the time for diversification.

 

“There is timing in the whole life of the warrior, in his thriving and declining, in his harmony and discord. Similarly, there is timing in the Way of the merchant, in the rise and fall of capital. All things entail rising and falling timing. You must be able to discern this..” 

Miyamoto Musashi , 1645

 

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Rajinder Dogra asked:

The SMERFs, a hardy and growing bunch, are travelling Asia for Social, Military, Education, Religious, and Fraternity reasons, offering vast untapped potential for this regions developing and recovering travel markets says Abacus International.

Their reasons for travelling are as diverse as war and peace, study and learning, seeking their god or just to catch up with like-minded people, but what they have in common is a will to travel even if times get tough. They do not mind even gathering in non peak times if it will help keep the costs down.

They are the SMERFS. No relation to their cuddly namesakes of television fame, they are the resilient groups travelling to and around Asia in their millions for social, military, education or religious reasons, or as part of fraternity groups such as alumni, workplace re unions or special interest groups.

Abacus International President and CEO, Mr Don Birch says that despite being budget conscious, the SMERFs collectively form a huge market and have vast untapped potential for developing or recovering Asian travel markets.

Abacus International estimates that the SMERF market across Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore alone is worth US$1.7 billion a year, based on an accepted US formula that the SMERF market is equivalent to about one third of the total meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market.

Whereas their better known cousins the MICE are serviced by specialist divisions within major hotel groups, travel agencies and dedicated Government programmes, the SMERFS are often below the radar and therefore harder to measure.

They are hardy and budget-conscious travellers which make them ideal for developing or recovering markets or as a complementary segment in peak markets, Mr Birch continued.

The SMERFs helped sustain the US hotel and airline industry in the period following the 9/11 terrorist events, and have shown themselves to be very resilient in the face of international in the face of international events, Don Birch said.

Who are the SMERFS?

The SMERFs are part of a wider trend in the travel market towards more outcome based travel travel for a purpose other than just to see things, and they’re more prepared than ever to travel abroad to achieve their aims according to Mr Birch.

This seemingly diverse group is united by a willingness to travel despite the economic cycle, to go off-peak and even off the beaten track if that is what it takes to track down budget transport and accommodation, Don Birch said.

Social travel traverses the fields of sports, special interest, ethnic, talent and dance organisations, with more and more diverse ethnic and professional associations adding to the growth. Examples include womens groups, volunteer workers and social sports teams travelling domestically or inter country for tournaments.

The growing number of car owners joining clubs in Singapore such as BMW.sg, TeamChevy Singapore and the Toyota Club Singapore, are a case in point. Aside from their regular monthly meetings where enthusiasts exchange tips on the technical aspects their cars, these clubs also serve as a rallying point for trips overseas, either to Sepang in Malaysia for a day of track racing or to other regional destinations for leisure trips. Further afield, fans of the Lord of the Rings have travelled to New Zealand in their thousands to experience in person some of the magic of the film. A guide book to the filming locations has now sold over 300,000 copies becoming the fifth largest ever selling non-fiction book in New Zealand in the process.

The Lord of the Rings has created the largest film tourism event the world has ever seen. Thousands of people have flocked to Middle earth New Zealand to follow in the footsteps of the hobbits and to bring back some of the emotions they felt when watching the film or reading the book, says Ian Brody author of the Location guide, which is selling just as well a full three years after the last movie in the trilogy.

Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Director of the Strategic Intelligence Centre (SIC), Mr John Koldowski says there is also a well beaten path from India to the exotic film locations of Switzerland and Austria, as fans of Bollywood seek out the sets of their favourite movies.

The social category is a good market for hotel sales staff who want to fill room blocks in off-season and weekend periods, but attracting these bookings is reliant on repeat business, word of mouth from existing customers, and direct marketing to social organisers and providing the right kind of accommodation offers, Mr Birch said.

We used to think about SMERF groups as a market niche for budget hotels and hostel style accommodation, now they use convention and conference centres, university facilities, suburban hotels, downtown hotels, resorts and even unsold apartment complexes.

Military travel

Asias estimated 32 million soldiers are often on the move usually by military transport, but often by civilian travel networks in countries such as Thailand, Taiwan and Singapore. Not surprisingly, the Philippines is one of the largest military travel markets in the region. With its more than 400,000 strong army and vast territory of 7,000 islands, even the coming and going of soldiers on leave is a highly significant market.

While exact figures are difficult to procure due to the sensitivity of military travel, the growing number of websites specialising in military travel in this region, attest to the scale of interest in this market and present a highly focused audience for travel suppliers seeking to reach this market, Mr Birch said.

Education travel

The Singapore experience demonstrates the potential of the education travel market. Prospects for inbound educational travel are promising with the number of international students in Singapore for long-term studies (one month +) growing from 60,000 in 2003 to well over 70,000 in 2005 according to the Singapore Tourism Board. The Singapore Government is targeting to achieve 150,000 international students by 2015, particularly from China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam.

From summer camps to immersion programmes, travel operators in Asia are beginning to discover the value of outbound educational tourism in the region.

One of Singapores most established travel operators, Chan Brothers Travel, set up its own Educational Travel Centre (ETC) in 2003 to cater to the emerging educational travel market in Singapore, conducting tours for student groups to destinations such as China, England, Germany, Australia and Turkey during the student vacation months of June and December.

Another relative newcomer on the educational tour scene, Wing On Travel in Hong Kong offers English language and activity tours to Britain, Australia, Singapore, Canada and mainland China. Reflecting their commitment to cater to this emerging travel market, the agency decided to create a dedicated educational tour division. The company launched its first study tours in 2004 and this year plans to take 14 groups to Britain alone.

Mr Birch says, This travel segment has a high growth potential but travel operators need to be aware of the challenges inherent in conducting educational tours for school groups. Parents expectations, differences in cultural understanding and catering for homesick young students are just some of the many issues that tour operators will have to address through equipping their staff with the necessary skill sets and expertise.

While students from Hong Kong and Singapore are venturing to foreign shores for a comprehensive educational experience, Indian students are discovering Indias own cultural identity and heritage. Mr P Saravanan, from Viking Tours and Travels in Chennai, South India said that school groups are mainly travelling to experience the history, culture and monuments of other Indian states generally in groups of 25-40 people.

The school groups are very budget in their accommodation needs. That is 1 or 2 star, with as many as 3 or 4 children sharing each room, but they’re definitely a valuable market, because schools come back a number of times, as do families of the children as they grow up, so it is a valuable part of marketing, Mr Saravanan said.

A pioneer in the educational travel segment, Thai tour operator Track of the Tiger has been running educational tours for students from Australia and the UK for more than ten years. Mr Shane Beary, Director, said that the demand for educational programmes at its Maekok River Village Resort & Outdoor Education Centre has been growing at an average rate of 25 to30% over the past five years and recorded 7,500 room nights in 2005. With a market base that has grown to include students from Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangladesh and Thailand, Track of the Tiger now offers programmes at Pang Soong lodge, its new Outdoor Education & Research Centre in Mae On, Chiang Mai, covering a range of environmental, and outdoor programmes for student groups, as well as team building and ‘voluntourism options for the corporate sector.

Mr Beary commented, Our experience has shown that there are many overlaps between educational, volunteer and eco tourism, which we have tried to build on in developing our programmes.

Religious travel

As one of the worlds most populous and largest regions, Asia is also recognised as the birthplace of Buddhism and Hinduism.

Countries such as China, India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and the Philippines have a cultural heritage steeped in some of the worlds major religions, and government policies to develop joint tourist attractions such as the Buddhist circuit in Taiwan, China, Sri Lanka and India have definitely grown the pie for their respective religious tourism markets,said Mr Birch.

Agreeing, PATAs John Koldowski said, Religious traffic tends to be fuelled by domestic bookings but increasingly, there are more pilgrimages being organised for inbound tourists which usually cover more than one destination. For example, there is a distinct Buddhist circuit such as the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Sri Lanka and a trail covering revered Buddhist sites in India.

With a myriad of religious sites throughout the country, India has an established group of religious tour operators to cater to the many domestic and foreign pilgrims that throng India during the peak travel periods of April, May and November.

Mr Ashok Negi, from Rajarani Travels in Mumbai reports that the tours run by his agency and its network of six branch offices throughout India has facilitated pilgrimages for more than 50,000 tourists to various religious sites in the country. According to Mr Negi, visits to popular religious sites such as Vaishnodevi and the temple at Tirupati constitute as much as 25% of Indias domestic tourism.

Christianity is the other religion fuelling growth in another Asian destination, the Philippines. Having provided its services for more than four decades in Southeast Asias most populous Catholic country, Catholic Travel, Inc. has positioned itself as the Pilgrimage Specialist.

According to Ms. Carmina Orbe, General Manager, most pilgrims are from the Philippines, and they also have pilgrims from Hong Kong, Rome, Canada and Los Angeles not only joining a pilgrimage to the Holy Land (Israel) but having a pilgrimage in the Philippines. Priests that have joined our pilgrimages to the Holy Land have found a renewed inspiration in their vocational work for the community. I guess the visits have brought new meaning to the places and events in the Bible that they had only studied in the seminary previously.

Across Asia, missionary teams are also frequent travellers, with agencies such as World Vision and Youth With a Mission (YWAM), mobilising large numbers of people annually. For example, YWAM Singapore takes approximately 150 volunteers to developing countries in the region such as Myanmar, Indonesia and India, over five to ten such trips every year.

Fraternal travel

Although not as significant a market as educational or religious travel, a growing number of civil associations and groups such as Rotary International and Lions Club International have begun to look towards Asia as a possible destination for their international gatherings.

The Rotary Club held its international convention in Singapore, its first Southeast Asian venue in 1999, and again in Osaka, Japan in May 2004 for more than 45,000 Rotary club members from 96 countries. Lions Club International held its 88th International Convention in Hong Kong from 27 June to 1 July 2005, catering to approximately 20,000 Lions Club members and their accompanying family members and friends. This generated almost US$19 million of direct tourism spending and spin-off business for the retail, catering and tourism-related sectors.

Traditional MICE destinations such as Singapore and Hong Kong have paved the way for Asias rise as a conventions venue on the world stage. This has allowed emerging economies in Thailand, India and Vietnam to offer companies and fraternal associations more variety in their choice of meeting venues Mr Birch said.

Targeting the SMERFs

There are some commonly accepted issues in targeting the SMERF market says Abacus Mr Don Birch. For example recent cost increases in the Asia hotel sector which saw average room rates rise in major cities (for example 17% last year in Singapore) are not good news for SMERFs.

More meetings and higher hotel prices can limit options for SMERFS, but SMERF planners can still find open arms in markets such as second and third tier cities eager to lure back budget groups,said Mr Birch.

For sales and marketing managers within the industry, finding SMERF planners is harder than just finding Association planners.

Seeking local contacts that are affiliated with these types of groups is critical. Local networking is also needed to identify SMERF groups and their planners. Resources such as the research directories of organisations, affordable meetings conferences, and even the personal networks of a propertys employees all have their place in pinning down the SMERFs, Mr Birch said.

The internet also plays a key role as both a research and communication channel for both SMERF planners and sales and marketing teams.

The internet clearly improves the chances of buyers and sellers in the SMERF universe finding a good match on location, venue and the experiences to be offered during the period of travel, Mr Birch added.