It’s Not the Travel Cost, My Tourism Friends: The Attraction Compelling‑Meter: Shifting the Narrative in Tourism

Don’t you think we should finally slow down on making excuses that travel cost is the main reason why our destination has been a laggard for many (many) years in international tourist arrivals. That price point has been our knee-jerk response when we’re asked, “why this, why that?” Our tourism players have been fixated on cost as the main reason why travelers don’t visit a destination. But what if the real drivers lie elsewhere? I propose the concept of the Attraction Compelling‑Meter — a hierarchy of factors that truly influence travelers’ decisions:

1. Awareness – the seed

2. Accessibility – the bridge

3. Price – the filter

4. Facilities & Services – the finishing touch

Just look at the illustration to get a clearer picture.

Awareness: The Seed of Interest

Destination curiosity and eventual travel decisions begin with awareness. Whether sparked by stories from family and friends, education, glamorous mainstream media, social media influencers, or targeted marketing, a traveler must first know and feel drawn to a place. This initial spark is overwhelmingly more influential than cost. If a person doesn’t even know or care about a destination, even the most affordable trip won’t move them.

Accessibility: Bridging the Desire

Once interest exists, a destination needs to be reachable. Good flight connectivity, visa ease, clear travel routes, and multimodal transport options are critical. Tourism scholars have long emphasized the “access” dimension in the classic 5A’s framework (Access, Accommodation, Attractions, Activities, Amenities) Without this bridge, awareness remains a wishful thought. You say that our country is archipelagic that’s why access is difficult? Is it really that archipelagic character of the destination or more of a lack of institutional savviness to improve access?

Price: The Practical Consideration

Of course, cost does play a role—but it actually only ranks third. Price acts as a FILTER, not a generator of interest. Once awareness and accessibility align, travelers compare costs—but if price is reasonable, it rarely stops the trip from happening. Pricing becomes relevant only after the first two prerequisites are met. Here’s one word that will make you realize that this whole thing is correct – SIARGAO. For other destinations, just think of some of the most inhospitable and super expensive destinations and yet, not free from the clutches of tourists. There can be a hundred and one examples you can think of. Here’s one – the Arctic.

Facilities & Services: Completing the Package

Lastly, visitors evaluate the quality and availability of local amenities—hotels, guides, restaurants, tours. These aspects add comfort and satisfaction, but they don’t catalyze the decision. They might sway preferences within committed travelers, but they're the final touch in someone’s trip planning—not the spark.

Why This Concept Matters

Understanding the Attraction Compelling‑Meter helps destination marketers and tourism agencies, and even local government units prioritize their tourism efforts and budgets more effectively:

• Invest in Awareness: Prioritize storytelling, influence awareness thru education, go into digital marketing or even AI, explore influencer partnerships, media features, produce videos, lots of them, and never forget the word‑of‑mouth campaigns, etc., atbp.

• Strengthen Accessibility: Forge partnerships with airlines, simplify visa entry, distribute clear information, ensure high transportation standards, and integrate multimodal transport. An archipelago of 7,000 islands means 7,000 chances to create compelling destinations. Sticking it out with the tired gateway is a long term portal to failure. Recognize that other destinations can mature on their own, without the help or interference of a traditional gateway.

• Offer Competitive Pricing: But see it as a supportive factor—complementary to awareness and access.

• Enhance Local Capacity: Ensure facilities, services and local ambience meet EXPECTATIONS for comfortable and enriching experiences.

And always remember this - for every million foreign tourist gained or lost by a destination, the equivalent of about US$2 Billion is also gained or lost by the economy. And that 1 million tourists influences the 120,000 jobs that are created. But perhaps this should be discussed in another article.

Yun lang.