MANILA, Philippines—Korean honeymooners and students learning English as a second language have been flocking to the Philippines for years now. But now that a group of Russians is holding a wind-kite-surf sports camp in the country—and enjoying every second of it—will there be a sudden surge of Russian tourists as well?

Will the Russians be the new Koreans?

Probably yes, especially now that the first-ever Russian Kite Boarders and Windsurfers Camp is proving to be a big hit.

Aimed at promoting the Philippines to Russian travelers as a new destination for water sports activities, the 43-day camp involves about a hundred Russians who have been to idyllic Boracay since the start of the competition in December last year.

According to Department of Tourism Assistant Secretary for Sports and Wellness Tourism Cynthia Carrion, the event has received such great feedback from the Russians that the department is entertaining the idea of organizing a world championship here.

But while the possibility of having more Russians come to the Philippines is huge, distance and accessibility can prove a hindrance for them. Nevertheless, Russians are viewed as very valued tourists because they stay longer and they really spend a lot on food, shopping and nightlife, according to the DOT’s Market Representative for Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, Edward Grigoriev.

One similarity between Russians and other tourists, though, is how the Philippines ends up having a certain hypnotic effect on them. Says Kat Alcantara of the DOT Marketing Team for Europe, “They fall in love with the country, they want to come back over and over and even consider having the Philippines as their second home.”

With so many Russians seeking destinations where they can enjoy sun, sand, great grub and awesome nightlife, there is no doubt that the Philippines is a perfect match for this particular market.

Fun activities

One of the competitions at the camp is the Kite Cup Bez Tormozov, a kite boarding contest for amateurs organized by Michael Tormozov, the host of an extreme sports/travel Russian TV show called “Bez Tormozov” (meaning “without brakes”).

It took place in the first week of January 2008 and culminated with an awarding ceremony that also had entertainment in the form of an Ati-Atihan dance from Boracay students, a sexy FILA fashion show, a musical performance from a band called Tribo Manila and disco time with music provided by DJ Jackson from Moscow.

On the other hand, the Neil Pryde Boracay International Funboard Cup was held for professional racers last Jan. 7 to 13.

Michael is staying for the whole duration of the camp not only to organize the event, but to gather materials for his TV show and do coverage for popular radio station Russian News Service. With him are photographer Andrey Khitrov, press tour leader Tatiana Aksenova and fellow organizers Alexey Pinchuk and Novozheev Eugeniy.

Russian media people were also flown in to make sure that the event is covered and that the Philippines is well promoted. Staff members of TV stations (Sport and MTV Russia) and publications (20 magazines, including Russian editions of men’s magazines such as Men’s Health, FHM, Playboy and Esquire, and sports magazines like Wave, the first surf magazine in Russia) all came to Boracay to cover the international camp for kite boarders and windsurfers.

Apart from indulging in water sports, the Russians are also enjoying all that Boracay has to offer through the various fun activities that organizer G Travel and Lifestyle has arranged, such as a sunset yacht cruise onboard the M/S Vianelle, sunset cocktails at the Tides, New Year’s Eve countdown at Seawind Resort, a sports tournament, buffets at Balinghai Beach and Fairways and Bluewater, open bars at Juice Bar and Hey Jude, plus fun parties at Café del Mar and Summer Place.

Recently, the Russian participants also went to Kalibo, Aklan to witness the Ati-Atihan festival. They scheduled to fly back home at the end of the month.

With the country’s winds and waves perfect for all sorts of water activities—and with the Philippines remaining a place of incomparable hospitality, natural resources and unique tourist spots—there is no doubt that the participants of the Russian Kite Boarders and Windsurfers Camp will have a lot of great things to say about the Philippines when they return to Russia.

E-mail the author at ninomarksablan@yahoo.com