Integration of products, services key to tourism industry
by Minerva BC Newman
Cebu City (24 June 2005) -- Integration and consolidation of products, services and systems is the key to the country's tourism industry. This was the core message of Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano of the Department of Tourism, during the opening of the Regional Tourism Congress held today at the Cebu Grand Convention Center, Cebu City.
Secretary Durano said tourist arrivals in the country from Jan-May 2005 increased by 19% compared to the same period last year. "We are expecting a 3M tourist arrivals by the end of the year," Durano added.
Central Visayas has been described as a tourist destination and it is the core in the promotion and development of the Philippine tourism to the world. Its goal is to attract 5M tourists by 2010. However, there are still several things missing to build the country's capacity for tourists to stay and spend their money, Durano further said.
The DOT Secretary noted, he never found the Philippines a "hard sell" except that most tourists found it difficult to avail of the various products and services that they need while they are in country. The Philippines, it seems is lacking in capacity and quality of experience to deal with the influx of tourists compared to the other Asian countries.
He explained that the country still lacks information, transportation, hotel capacity and systems to attract tourists to come and stay in the country. He said, it is more expensive to operate and maintain a hotel in the Philippines than in other countries in Asia where they spend millions to develop a tourism estate zone where players and investors can do business and put up facilities at minimum infrastructure spending.
Durano went to say that in other countries efficiency, comfort, and convenience in information, transportation, accommodation and other services are integrated and consolidated in a tourism estate zone where everything are located within distance from the airport, malls, banks and entertainment areas.
"We have made policy adjustments to attract more tourists to the country through TV promotional advertisements in China, Korea and in Japan and we offer visa upon arrival of these tourists to the country. We have seen the fruits of these policies through the increased arrivals of Chinese visitors at 105 percent, Korea at 41 percent and Japan at 11 percent." The DOT Secretary reported.
He then called on major tourism players and investors to integrate and consolidate land holdings for the establishments of Tourism Estate Zones in various parts of the country for the development of a vibrant tourism industry.
The responsibility of the Dept. of Tourism is to simplify processes in all activities and investments that are geared towards integration and consolidation of tourism programs into one wholesome package that would put the Central Visayas, or Cebu for that matter as a "brand in the global tourism market, Secretary Durano concluded. (PIA-Cebu)
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