Okada urges cruise lines to consider PH destinations

The Philippines may soon become a cruise destination if Japanese billionaire and gaming magnate Kazuo Okada gets his way.

THE CARNIVAL FREEDOM. If Kazuo Okada has his way, these kinds of cruise ships may just be a regular site at our ports. (Imgae grabbed from Wikipedia)

(Images grabbed from Okada Manila Facebook page)

Okada, who recently teamed up with Filipino entrepreneur Antonio “Tonyboy” Cojuanco to open Okada Manila, is talking to two of the biggest cruise liners in the world (in terms of market share) in an effort to have the Philippines as one of their stopovers. 

Speaking in behalf of Okada at the Asia CEO Forum last Wednesday, September 14, Maxwell Steele Zetlin, Executive Director for Property Marketing at Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment, Inc., said “We are looking to develop with them a way to ensure that we can get cruise ship not only to Manila Bay but to the Philippines and help promote tourism in that sense.”

Tiger Resort manages Okada Manila, an integrated casino resort located on the Manila Bay foreshore. They are looking to promote Okada Manila as a tourist destination since the casino occupies just 10 percent of the facility.

Okada has also expressed his desire to venture into other Philippine markets, particularly in the field of real estate and other infrastructures.

“In terms of investment in infrastructure and trying to ensure that the Philippines can be a destination attraction and we can handle that attraction, we will be focusing on many different projects to do,” Zetlin said.

 

Source: BusinessWorld Online, World Casino News