Philippines joins first G20 tourism meeting

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is spreading its message of sustainable tourism to the world’s top economies as it joined the recent G20 Tourism Ministerial Meeting in Japan.

“The strong Philippine-Japan diplomatic relations, the active tourism promotions in Japan and the resounding feat of the Boracay Island rehabilitation have led to the historical invitation of the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) to the first G20 Tourism Ministerial Meeting,” DOT said in a statement.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat led the Philippine contingent in the meeting that delved on how proper tourism planning, development and management can benefit visitors and local communities, and expounded on the role of innovation and digital transformation in the advancement of sustainable tourism.

Puyat emphasized the DOT’s thrust of creating a culture of sustainable tourism, and how the success of the Boracay Island rehabilitation catalyzed the adoption of sustainable tourism practices across local destinations and tourism-related industries.

“The DOT takes inspiration from the Boracay model, and an evolving framework in creating a culture of sustainable tourism is being applied to other destinations in the country.  Using this model as the benchmark, the DOT, together with government partners, has prioritized and rationalized the enforcement of environmental and related laws in tourism destinations from northern to southern Philippines such as the Cordilleras, El Nido in Palawan, Bohol and Siargao,” Puyat said.

The tourism chief also lauded the efforts of the local government units that have been taking proactive measures in protecting and preserving their tourist attractions, now more than ever, becoming  mindful of  carrying capacity levels.

“As we build our brand image of sustainability, the DOT is ensuring brand integrity through updating and promotion of green standards as we accredit and rate our tourism enterprises. In addition, we are developing new training modules to direct the whole tourism industry to embrace sustainable tourism values,” Puyat said.