Young Cebuanos vow to promote local tourism

CEBU, Philippines - Kent Anthon Bihag and his team are set to propose for the creation of an office dedicated to promote the Liloan town’s tourism.

Bihag, 20, believes that if the town develops this office, it can better position itself as a tourist destination and sell its products to visitors more effectively.

If they had the means, Bihag’s team would pursue a tourism branding project called “Experience Liloan” to invite visitors to experience the municipality’s eco-adventure attractions and delicacies.

Bihag was one of the hundreds of Cebuano youngsters who committed to take an active role in promoting sustainable, inclusive, and responsible tourism in yesterday’s Provincial Tourism Youth Summit.

“One major lesson is that we need to care for nature. While caring for nature, we can generate income from renewable resources,” he said.

Cebuano youth signed a manifesto yesterday in time for the celebration of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

Around 400 youth delegates from at least 30 municipalities and eight colleges and universities in Cebu signed the manifesto.

It read: “We commit to ensure tourism development in eliminating poverty and ensure the protection and conservation of our natural and cultural environment.”

Provincial tourism officer Boboi Costas said the actual number of participants exceeded their expectation.

“The youth of today are very influential because they travel a lot. They move things. Millennials can influence every travel purchase and decision,” he said, putting emphasis on the role of youth in tourism.

Costas said the Provincial Tourism Office has finished mapping out a sustainable tourism plan for at least 25 towns of Cebu.  The office targets to finish the planning workshop with the other LGUs within the year.

“We have to plan each municipality before we get to the big picture. We’re doing a bottom-up approach,” he said.

Vice Governor Agnes Magpale challenged the youth to participate in this thrust by using the social media and applying the lessons they learned from the summit in their local communities.

For his part, Governor Hilario Davide quoted a 2016 study by the National Youth Commission that found out one in every two Filipino youth is not satisfied with the government programs.

Citing the study further, he said 26 percent of the youth have thought at some point that life is not worth living while 14 percent have considered suicide.

Davide highlighted that the youth have the potentials and ideas to better shape the communities. Thus, they should be involved in crafting government programs so they may actualize their ideas and have a deeper grasp of life.

“We have to involve them in all facets of the government, economic activities, especially tourism.

The youth are very creative. We need them to boost Cebu’s tourism,” he added.

Aside from the manifesto signing, six speakers also shared their ideas on how the youth can help mainstream responsible and sustainable eco-tourism.

At the end of yesterday’s activity, organizers launched the Technology, Research, and Innovation for People, Prosperity, and Planet Sustainability or “TRIPPS,” a search for the best application using digital technology in giving solutions to issues concerning Cebu tourism, in partnership with Smart Communications Inc. (FREEMAN)