Council approves tourism roadmap

MANILA, Philippines - Members of the Tourism Coordinating Council have unanimously approved the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) in a meeting held at the Department of Tourism auditorium recently.

The final version of the plan increased its targets to 6.6 million international arrivals (from 6.3 million) and 34.8 domestic travelers (from 32 million) generating P1.759 billion in total expenditure, contributing 6.78 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP) and employing 6.5 million people by 2016.

This year, the target is 3.7 million foreign tourists.

Tourism Secretary Alberto Aldaba Lim convened the council to present the tourism blueprint for the council’s approval before presenting it to the Economic Cluster this week for endorsement to President Benigno S. Aquino on July 28.

The NTDP is Lim’s contribution to President Aquino’s poverty alleviation agenda which considers tourism as a flagship to improve the plight of majority of our countrymen,

“The President considers tourism as a frontliner and revenue driver in reducing poverty so we want to make sure that the development of tourism is more sustainable and inclusive,” Lim said.

Lim presented the roadmap to people who can help him make the plan work. They are heads of different government agencies and private sector organizations who can push tourism programs and projects forward, e.g. DOTC, DTI, BID, PNP, DOLE, Tourism Congress, Duty Free Philippines, Pagcor, Intramuros Administration, etc.

The plan translates the DOT chief’s vision into actionable programs and projects. It rationalizes the different priorities into a strategic framework and outlines action plans to guide DOT and other stakeholders in the development of the tourism sector between 2011 and 2016.

The strategic vision is to become the “must experience” destination in Asia.

To achieve that, Lim said that they are focusing on three key strategies: 1) improving market access and connectivity, 2) developing and market competitive tourist destinations and products, and 3) improving tourism institutional, governance, and human resource capacities.

To improve market access and connectivity, DOT plans to push for the rapid expansion of the capacity of secondary international airports and addressing bottlenecks at NAIA, strengthening compliance with international air safety regulations, adopt policies that facilitate the expansion of air services and visa-free access in key growth markets, and to work with the DOT and DPWH to implement a strategic access infrastructure development program between secondary international airports and strategic destinations.

To develop and market competitive tourist destinations and products, DOT will work with the related National Government agencies, and LGUS to implement a sustainable tourism transportation and destination infrastructure development program in the strategic destinations, facilitate the development of mixed-use tourism complexes and community-based tourism programs in the strategic destinations, implement a mandatory tourism enterprise accreditation and certification system, facilitate tourism investment and simplify business set-up and licensing procedures, enhance efforts to safeguard natural and cultural heritage sites and vulnerable groups, and roll out a major public-private sector funded marketing campaign targeting key growth markets.

To improve tourism institutional, governance, and human resource capacities, Lim said, “we will sit down with the LGUs to clarify institutional roles and responsibilities between the DOT and LGUs and undertake awareness and capacity building programs at the local level; work with the private sector, DOLE and CHED and TESDA to develop a highly competent, well motivated and productive tourism workforce; and, improve governance in the area of safety, security, and in dealing with tourists, tourism investors, and tourism enterprises at the national and local levels.”

Lim explained that the plan is inclusive in orientation -- it includes women, youth, and indigenous peoples as well as local host communities. It also is pro-poor in approach -- it addresses poverty reduction by including poor provinces in the tourism value chain.