Tourism industry worked to solve SEA Games glitches — Puyat

MANILA, Philippines — Both the public and private sectors in the tourism industry worked together to resolve glitches in the Philippines' hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games, Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said.

Prior to the opening ceremony of the biennial sports meet, several teams from participating countries complained about logistical issues.

The national football teams from Timor Leste, Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand raised concerns about transportation, training and accommodation.

Puyat noted that there are always glitches in any event but the government worked with the private sector to solve it.

"It was just more of the tourism industry, both public and private, we banded together to show our guests that we can do it and we want to show them the best hospitality ever," Puyat said at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

Following the complaints of the SEA Games athletes, the Department of Tourism met with hotel owners and transportation service providers to address the logistical issues.

The football teams of Timor Leste, Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand all had to wait for hours at the airport for their ride to their respective hotels.

Upon arriving at the hotel, some of the teams had to wait again before checking in to their rooms.

The tourism chief admitted that the hotels encountered problems on the accommodation of the SEA Games athletes.

"The hotels saw that some athletes arrived earlier or some of them had delegations bigger than what was expected so the hotels agreed that when that happens, they have to check in immediately or if there are not enough rooms they should refer to other hotels," Puyat said in Filipino.

Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee Chairperson and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano earlier apologized to the foreign athletes for the logistical issues upon their arrival in Manila.

Cayetano then promised to provide better service for the athletes despite some "inefficiencies or miscoordination." — Patricia Lourdes Viray

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