DOT to push Cebu, Bohol in tourism forum

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu and Bohol are among the Philippine destinations to be highlighted during the ASEAN Tourism Forum come January 2016, which will be attended by over 400 global tourism buyers.

Department of Tourism (DOT-7) regional director Rowena Y. Montecillo announced yesterday that Cebu province in particular, will highlight the attractions of Lapu-Lapu City as a "Historic Resort City," and the varied eco-tourism sites within the province.

Montecillo said travel operators from Bohol and Cebu will be meeting with tourism buyers or travel operators from all over the world to sell Cebu and Bohol to the travel planners.

She added there will be 32 business-to-business meetings to choose from for two days, to promote or close deals with tourism buyers all over the world.

Although the forum will focus on the ASEAN as tourism destinations, buyers from all over the world are expected to come to the event, which is slated on January 18 to 25, 2016.

The ASEAN Tourism Forum is one of the activities of the Visit Philippines 2016, a campaign that aims to attract tourists to participate in year-round activities of the country.

Cebu and Bohol are two of the 10 destinations that will be showcased by the Philippine Pavillon of the eight-day international confab.

Aside from the expected 400 delegates, there will also be 100 media personalities from all over the world that will come to the event, Montecillo said.

Montecillo said this is another plus for Cebu and Bohol for promotional mileage, as a preferred leisure and even MICE destinations in the Philippines.

ASEAN Tourism Forum is a cooperative regional effort to promote the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region as one tourist destination where Asian hospitality and cultural diversity are at its best.

With the theme “One Community for Sustainability”, tourism ministers of the 10 member-states will discuss innovations, trends, and developments in the industry and facilitate joint policy formulations to accelerate the growth of the region’s tourism. (FREEMAN)