Super Typhoon Fung-wong : Tourism swept away in the Philippines

Super Typhoon Fung-wong (locally known as Uwan) has forced the evacuation of more than 900,000 people from vulnerable areas of Luzon Island, an event with immediate and severe repercussions for tourism.

The threat, with sustained winds of 185 km/h and gusts up to 230 km/h, has forced the suspension of work and classes in several key regions, including Metro Manila, resulting in a near-total shutdown of urban economic and tourism activities.

The typhoon was expected to make landfall in Aurora province as early as Sunday evening (November 9), as we write these lines, while the archipelago was still reeling from Typhoon Kalmaegi (224 deaths in the Philippines), threatening to overwhelm emergency services.

Direct consequences for tourism

The activation of Typhoon Warning Level 3 in the Manila metropolitan area and other high warnings across Luzon led to airport closures, widespread cancellations of domestic and international flights, and logistical disruptions.

Tourists on the island of Luzon and in coastal areas were stranded or forced to undergo preventative evacuations, abruptly ending their vacations.

The typhoon threatens to damage road infrastructure, hotels, and tourist sites in the path of the winds and torrential rains.

The arrival of Fung-wong, the 21st storm of the year, shortly after the deadly Typhoon Kalmaegi, reinforces the perception of high risk in the Philippines, leading to a drop in new bookings and the issuance of international travel warnings.

The authorities, focused on humanitarian aid (the army has redeployed 2,000 soldiers), hope to avoid further casualties, but the impact on the tourist season and on post-Kalmaegi reconstruction is already severe and prolonged.