DOT chief asks tourism leaders to issue 'fair' travel advisories

MANILA, Philippines — Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo last week urged tourism leaders to stand for a more reasonable issuance of travel advisories in consideration of tourism-dependent destinations.

Teo said there is a need for tourism leaders to press ministries of foreign affairs and embassies to be more realistic and considerate in issuing travel warnings. She said small island destinations have been hardlest hit and suffer economically from either  “unnecessary or exaggerated” notices from authorities. 

“I call on the ministers here to have a collective stand on travel advisories, most especially for small island destinations. This is necessary in order to influence the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to rethink the issuance of such notices so we can safeguard the local people who are dependent on tourism,” said Teo in her speech at the Tourism Ministerial Meeting at the World Tourism in Istanbul, Turkey last Thursday.

Teo addressed her intention on behalf of countries like the Philippines that bank on tourism for billions of dollars in revenues.

Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Minister Nabi Avci had expressed support for Teo’s call even before she delivered her speech. 

“If such incidences occur, we will stand together with messages of support. This would be our best response to terrorism," Avci said.

According to the DOT, the governments of the Philippines and Turkey, represented by Teo and Avci, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation to cultivate better tourism relations between the two countries. —Rosette Adel