'Revitalize local tourism councils'

CEBU, Philippines - Energizing the local tourism councils should be one of the priorities of the new tourism chief as countryside tourism is gaining momentum.

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) Tourism Committee adviser Milagros Espina made this suggestion expressing her optimism that new Department of Tourism (DOT) secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo will be able to grasp the importance and enormous roles of local tourism councils to promote their respective destinations being a hands on travel agent.

"Her travel experience and dynamic leadership  in NAITAS will give her adequate tool in infusing creative tourism programs in local, reqional and global levels. She should energize local tourism councils and rediscover new destinations, said Espina.

According to Espina, aside from revitalizing the local tourism council it is also recommended that Teo will be able to link with other agencies in the government to tackle the infrastructure and manpower needs to complement the introduction of new and fresh destinations.

In one of her official pronouncements, Teo said in a report that she wants to meet with the different industry stakeholders, such as hotels and resorts, transportation providers, and travel and tour operators, in a “pricing summit to standardize the rates and pricing of travel and tour packages” in the country.

This indicated that one of the top priorities under her leadership is to make hotel rates in the country more competitive.

According to Teo Philippine hotel rates are expensive compared to those in other Asean countries.

The new lady tourism chief said that among her priorities for 2016 are the improvement of roads, bridges, and gateways like airports and seaports; the development of other destinations and improvement of the present destinations; and the implementation of more promotions to be able to hit the arrivals target.

Under the National Tourism Development Plan, the agency’s target for foreign visitor arrivals is 10 million for 2016, and 56.1 million for domestic tourists.   (FREEMAN)