Tourism in Manila

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Fort Santiago

Tourism is an important industry in Manila, Philippines. In 2012, the city and region welcomed 974,379 overnight visitors.[1] As the main gateway to the Philippines' many destinations, the city is visited by the majority of international tourists to the country registering a total of 3,139,756 arrivals in 2012.[2] Global Blue ranked Manila eleventh in its "Best Shopping Destinations" in Asia.[3] The city is ranked tenth in MasterCard's global top 20 fastest growing cities for international visitors from 2009-2013.[4]

Attractions

Metro Manila contains several notable attractions including a UNESCO World Heritage Site and 45 other cultural heritage landmarks.[5] These cultural attractions are mostly concentrated in the City of Manila and offer a glimpse into the city's Malay, Spanish, and American origins. Popular sites include the Spanish colonial buildings in Intramuros, the World Heritage Site of San Agustin Church, Rizal Park, and a few Art Deco and Revival style buildings like Manila Metropolitan Theater and the National Museum of the Philippines. There are also modern attractions such as the Manila Ocean Park, the integrated resort complex of Resorts World Manila, and the newly opened Solaire Resort & Casino and City of Dreams Manila.

Within the City of Manila

File:Puerta Real, Intramuros, Manila (1 January 2003).jpg
Puerta Real in Intramuros.
National Museum of the Philippines

Intramuros is a historic fortified complex that is home to the city's oldest structures, such as San Agustin Church, Fort Santiago, and the Manila Cathedral. Located inside the complex are, Fort Santiago, a Spanish citadel located at the mouth of the Pasig River near Intramuros, Manila Cathedral, a 19th-century ecclesiastical building in Intramuros and seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila, San Agustin Church, a World Heritage Site in Intramuros and the Philippines' oldest church.
Rizal Monument, located in the center of Rizal Park, is the memorial to the Philippine national hero, José Rizal.
Museums within Manila include the, National Museum of the Philippines, home of the National Art Gallery, the Museum of the Filipino People, an anthropology and archaeology museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, a premier museum of modern and contemporary visual arts.
There are districts known as tourist destinations. Ermita, located outside the walls of Intramuros near Luneta, home to major government buildings and many hotels. Malate, the tourism center of Manila, is famous for Baywalk and the Remedios nightlife district. Manila Zoo, the oldest zoo and botanical garden in the Philippines, is located in that district. Binondo, an old district of Manila that is home to Manila Chinatown, is established since 1521. Its main attractions are Binondo Church, Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch, and Seng Guan Buddhist temple. Quiapo is the location of Plaza Miranda and Quiapo Church, which is home of the Black Nazarene.
Major parks include, Arroceros Forest Park, an urban forest in Ermita, and Paco Park, a recreational garden that was once a Spanish cemetery located in Paco district.
Malacañan Palace, which is located on the bank of the Pasig River, is the official residence of the President of the Philippines.
San Sebastian Church, located in Quiapo, is the only all-steel Gothic basilica in Asia.
Manila Ocean Park, and oceanarium with a marine-themed mall and hotel, is located behind Quirino Grandstand, which fronts Rizal Park.
Major universities include the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest university in Asia, and Far Eastern University, a university with well-preserved and largest ensemble of Art-Deco Style Buildings, which UNESCO bestowed as Honourable Mention.

Around Metro Manila

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Manila American Cemetery and Memorial

Close to Metro Manila

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Taal Lake
Anawangin Beach on Redondo Peninsula.

Shopping

File:SM Mall of Asia main facade.jpg
SM Mall of Asia
File:Greenbelt5.JPG
Greenbelt

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See also: List of shopping malls in Metro Manila

Manila is the main shopping hub of the Philippines and is one of the well-known shopping destinations in the Asia-Pacific region.[6] Numerous shopping centers are located around the metropolis and are usually clustered in major shopping districts such as the Bonifacio Global City and Ortigas Center while upscale-luxury shopping centers are concentrated in the business and financial district of Ayala Center. Traditional markets still remain a presence in Manila such as bazaars and markets.

Hotels and casinos

Solaire Resort & Casino
Resorts World Manila

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See also: List of hotels in Metro Manila and Gambling in Manila

A number of hotels and casinos can be found around Metro Manila. Makati, the financial hub of the metropolis is home to numerous international hotel chains. Manila is also home to various casinos and is becoming a major gaming destination in the region. A gaming and entertainment complex called Entertainment City will be home to four integrated casino resorts, this major development is expected to attract more tourists and rival other major gaming destinations in Asia such as Macau and Singapore.[7][8]

Parks and plazas

Rizal Park

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See also: List of parks in Metro Manila

Manila offers a wide selection of parks and plazas. The county's premier park, Rizal Park is located in the heart of the bustling city. The park was the site of the execution of the country's national hero, Jose Rizal. Apart from Rizal Park, there also other parks located around Metro Manila such as Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City and the Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati. Plazas are usually found in the districts of Manila, notable ones are Plaza Miranda, Plaza de Roma, Plaza Rajah Sulayman and Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz.

Golf

The Manila Golf and Country Club, and the Makati skyline.

Events

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Main article: Annual events in Metro Manila
The procession of the Black Nazarene of Manila

Festivals in Metro Manila include the Feast of the Black Nazarene, which is held every January in Quiapo district, and it is the biggest religious festival in the city[weasel words]. Chinese New Year is celebrated in Binondo district, the world's oldest Chinatown. Aliwan Fiesta is held annually in the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex, and it is a celebration of Filipino culture through dance parades, floats, and pageants.
Film festivals include Cinemanila International Film Festival, which is the biggest global film event in Manila. Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival is another film festival held annually in July at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Metro Manila Film Festival is held every December during Christmas, and it is an all-Filipino-language film event.
Other events include Manila International Auto Show, the Philippines' biggest motor show at the World Trade Center Metro Manila, and the World Pyro Olympics, an annual competition among the world's fireworks companies held in SM Mall of Asia by the Manila Bay.

See also

References

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