Residents in tourism hotspots urged to become capitalists

CEBU, Philippines - Residents in  tourism hotspots in the outskirts of the country should not depend on capitalists to invest in their communities, as they can become entrepreneurs themselves, capitalizing on the growing interest for adventure, nature and culture emersion trips.

Tourism leader Robert Lim Joseph said that home stay concepts can be further developed and that residents should be clever enough to make business out of tourism, even with less capital.

Tourists now, Lim said,  is more attracted to "back to basic" kind of trips, and offering freshly picked vegetables and fruits from the backyard, opening the homes for tourists or what the industry called "couch tourism" are just few of the potential tips that community tourism will be developed even with less intervention or support from the government.

According to Joseph, anything that is "natural" now is premium. Organic products for instance are now priced highly by capitalists. Residents in the communities on the other hand, can easily developed organic mini-farms and make them their business with premium prices.

 "There are wide array of business opportunities for community residents to start into," said Joseph.

"We are selling something natural, not man-made, it deserves premium price," said Joseph.

Decent, safe and clean accommodation especially the comfort rooms should be the top priorities of residents who may want to start off a small tourism support facility in their respective barangays or towns.

Meanwhile, Japanese travel specialist Michiko Ono Amsden said that investment on organic farm destinations, health and wellness restaurant boutique, wellness resort, diet and fasting facilities, wellness stores that offer locally produced wellness products such as VCO (virgin coconut oil), among others are just few of the business opportunities that Cebu tourism capitalists should consider, as more Japanese women are now eyeing Cebu as their top holiday destination.

Japanese women, and even men, are already crazy about VCO as health and beauty supplement. With its rich coconut resources, the Philippines, particularly Cebu, should capitalize or ride on on the rising popularity of VCO as the world's number one beauty and health oil, surpassing  Morocco’s Argan oil.

According to Amsden, there are other business opportunities that entrepreneurs could enter into, but these suggestions will not only catch the interest of Japanese women, but also to the growing population of health and wellness buff around the world.  – (FREEMAN)