Cebu showcased in Japan travel expo

CEBU, Philippines —  More Japanese tourists are expected to be back in Cebu after being highlighted by the Department of Tourism as a key tourism destination in the country.

Aligning with the TEJ’s theme for trade “Taking on the New Era: Restart” and for the general public “Hello New Journey”, the Philippine booth banners the rich culture, adventure, and gastronomic offerings of the country based on the update from the DOT.

Aside from Cebu, other key destinations also showcased include Bohol, Boracay, and Manila, among others.

DOT together with its marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) participated in the TEJ in Tokyo, Japan in its bid to strengthen the promotion of the country's tourism products, sustain existing ties, and forge new partnerships for tourism growth with the Japanese market and other source markets abroad.

Organized by the Japan Travel and Tourism Association (JTTA), Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), and Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the four-day TEJ is considered the biggest travel trade fair in Japan, with an expected visitor count of 150,000 and some 1,800 exhibitors from 154 countries and 47 prefectures.

Former DOT-VII regional director and now Undersecretary Sahlimar Hofer Tamano served as the head of Philippine Delegation as Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco was still in New York, USA as part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s official contingent to the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) when the event kicked off.

Tamano was joined by TPB officer-in-charge Charles Aames M. Bautista and representatives from the DOT's public and private sector partners in tourism including Cebu’s Bai Hotel, Attic Tours Phils. Inc., Bohol Beach Club, Cebu Air, Inc., Gladex Travel Services, Herald Suites Hotels, Hotel 101 Manila, Philippine Airlines, Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, and Waterfront Hotels & Casinos.

Tamano also joined the Ministerial Round Table Discussions on “Climate Change – Tourism Stakeholders’ Endeavors” and “Coexisting with COVID in the Post-Pandemic World – Solutions for the New Tourism Industry '' as a panelist, alongside high-level officials and representatives of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

Tamano tackled the strategic thrusts of the DOT to pursue sustainability under the leadership of Secretary Frasco.

“As an industry that relies heavily on the beauty of the natural environment and its resources, the Philippines Department of Tourism acknowledges the crucial role of the tourism sector in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change,” said Tamano.

Tamano stressed, what makes Philippine tourism unique is they both “sell and preserve”.

“That is our unique mandate in tourism—to both sell and preserve; to ensure that the beauty of our country remains, while people get to enjoy a unique Philippine travel experience,” added Tamano.

Tamano stressed this is how they try to balance business opportunities and social responsibility.

“This means that it is not about the numbers that matter the most, but ultimately how to strike a balance between business opportunities and our social responsibility,” Tamano said.

DOT envisions a tourism industry that is anchored on sustainable development together with effective local governance and national government coordination.

“As we move forward in the post-pandemic world, we envision a tourism industry that is anchored on sustainable development, paired with effective local governance and strong national government coordination. That is to say, no business venture can flourish on profit alone; if it is not sustainable in itself, then it cannot make any significant contribution to its industry,” Tamano further said. — GMR (FREEMAN)