how much would you be willing to pay for van transfer manila-anilao

[DevonDiver]

If you're gonna do a pick-up, I'd suggest that it was in an obvious, easy to access location. A foreign visitor won't know where a gas station is and also might have difficulty explaining that location to a taxi driver.

One of the main hotels would be suitable. I'd suggest the inter-con, dusit or shang, as they are near the MRT, bus station (ayala) and within walking distance of many other hotels. Parking available nearby. Easy to locate on a map (plus major hotels have websites with directions on how to get to them).

 

[mlsantos]

thats what i was thinking... the hotels are very accessible... plus theres a lobby to wait in if the shuttle is late for any reason.... pao... do you know if that service is still operational or is it closed already as you mentioned before?

 

[Kenr]

here is one problem I see. I call you a week or two in advance and I am told you can't guarantee service because i am only one. So i say ok and find another alternative. In the mean time you get other calls and tell them the same thing. No one books and you don't have enough passengers and don't go. I have done that and been there in the PI. If you can guarantee service you will get more booking. I live in the USA and if i need a van, say to the airport, I'm not interested if they have enough passengers to make the trip profitable. They go ahead and book anyway and if I'm the only one they take me and I suppose they loose money. I don't know and that's not my concern. What I am saying you will get more passengers if you go if its profitable or not. That way I can commit and you can try to sell the remaining seats if you can. I had a similar situation in El Nido. I was quoted a rate from El Nido to the underground river and to Puerta Princesa. But was told they didn't have enough passengers, so I walked away. Fortunately I met a couple diving and they wanted to do the same so I went back and booked the van. When we left the underground river they picked up 3 or 4 other local passengers to take them back to PP. In the end they made money on the trip but it was me that had to organize the trip for the group. I suggest you run the service and take the risk of making money. Overall you will do better if you can guarantee your service

 

[Centrals]

You probably will lose money in the beginning but when the words go out that a regular service is being provided. You might have to expend the business!!
Why don't you leave your calling card with all those resorts in Anilao? I am pretty sure they do receive regular request on economy transfer.
If you insist on weekend trip then you just limit yourself with the divers in Manila only.
Why foreign divers utilize services at Si-Kat and Swagman to PG because the bus/van leaves everyday without hitch except when the ferry is not sailing.
Nothing venture nothing gain.

 

[DevonDiver]

Re-posted from the other Anilao transport thread:http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/philippine-paradise-divers/389140-public-transfer-anilao.html

I've been trying, for the last 9 months, to make running Anilao diving trips/courses into a viable option for my independent scuba business.

I still haven't found an 'ideal' solution... or one that was cost effective enough to attract a lot of customers. It only really works when there is a large group of divers, who can coordinate a trip together and share transport/accommodation and boat costs (i.e. local divers).

.....Foreign divers rarely travel here in groups of 4+

Most of my customers are foreigners travelling solo.

Local public transport is far from an attractive option for divers with gear; especially foreigners who may be intimidated by the prospect of hauling heavy dive bags around an unfamiliar province whilst relying on buses, jeepneys and trikes.

The cost of a private car (3-4000php one-way) is enough to deter a large percentage of visitors; especially when access to Subic and PG is so much cheaper and easier.

Seriously,... for the cost of a return car trip to an Anilao resort, you could fly anywhere in the Philippines! 8000php would pay for a whole weekend diving in Subic, including hotel and direct bus transport.

The cost of accommodation/food (much higher than PG or Subic) also reduce the attractiveness of Anilao as a destination. AGAIN, everything seems fixated upon the 'established' routine of local divers taking weekend breaks in Anilao - where those divers have their own cars and will be in a group of 4 or more (thus availing of shared rooms and shared costs of dive boats).

Where are the entrepreneurs? The market is there, why is nobody in Anilao bothering with it? Just because it's "not done like that"??!?

The dive industry in the Philippines is growing steadily...as it should given the quality of diving that we have here.

It's crazy that Anilao is still a virtual ghost town in terms of foreign visitors. It's even more crazy that those foreign holidaymakers find it more convenient and cost-effective to travel all the way to Cebu, Bohol, Palawan etc, rather than the few dozen kilometers to Anilao.

The Anilao resorts could be making a fortune from foreign tourists, but seem apathetic to make the effort to embrace that section of the market.

As the saying goes; 'You can take a horse to water, but you can't make it drink'.

At the present, there is absolutely no sense or justice with the pricing of transport to Anilao. It's just pure, unadulterated GREED.

A 5 hour round-trip that costs 3000php. Gas isn't that expensive. The labor cost of hiring a driver isn't that expensive (we all know what the daily pay for such jobs is...).

GREED!

And it is soooo short sighted... because all it serves to do is force the potential customers to go to other (less greedy) locations.

MLSantos' proposed venture isn't greedy - and for that reason I think that he will enjoy a lot of success with it.

As others have stated... it needs to appeal to the foreign visitor market. In order for that to happen, it will need to be bookable in advance (regardless of group size), it needs to run on demand when there are bookings and it needs to be coordinated with the resorts, so that they can direct their customers to the service (or book it for their customers).

If the venture is just run as a weekend charter, then it really is only a service for local divers. Most of those divers are already in groups (so the cost saving over existing services is minimal) or they have access to their own cars within their groups.

Service for foreign/holiday divers = great potential.

Service for local divers = little potential, no initiative, no entrepreneurship.

 

[Pao]

thats what i was thinking... the hotels are very accessible... plus theres a lobby to wait in if the shuttle is late for any reason.... pao... do you know if that service is still operational or is it closed already as you mentioned before?

I do not know of any shuttle service operating as of the present.

 

[Centrals]

City State Tower Hotel and Swagman Hotel attract additional clients because both of them offer daily transfer to Batangas(PG).
It is cheaper to travel to PG(P750.00) than Anilao!!
Many resorts in Anilao are dead quiet during week days!!!!!!! So they have to recruit most of their expenditures on weekend!!!!! That push the cost up.
If they can meet the end then why bother!!!!!
What kind of mentally is that?

Perhaps "mlsantos" could negotiate a deal with any hotel with an small travel agent around Ermita to offer transfer to Anilao.
Good luck.

 

[DevonDiver]

What kind of mentally is that?

Filipino.

 

[mlsantos]

didnt think i would get this much reaction...

 

[mlsantos]

wow i didnt think it would get this much reactions...