CCCI initiates step to organize Cebu's growing wellness sector

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) will again create another "baby" organization in the booming wellness industry in Cebu.

CCCI, being the mother of some industry groups in Cebu, has recognized the need to build a professional industry group in the wellness sector as it has become one of the important support services of the tourism trade.

CCCI vice president for business development Clarito Fruelda said there is a need to professionalize the industry, through the creation of an industry organization that will serve as the mouthpiece of the sector players.

According to Fruelda, industry support organization is a vital tool to develop a new industry, and demand support from the government as well as funding grants from both national and domestic support giving bodies.

Cebu's wellness industry is slowly gaining attraction from domestic and local market, with the establishment of several dozens of wellness centers that caters practically to all market segments.

"Through organizing an industry organization, players can enjoy of technical efficiency support, government attention, funding assistance, and address other important concerns," Fruelda said.

CCCI's plan to immediately form a wellness industry organization, developed after the players expressed their concerns of professionalism, in-placed government standard policies, brain-drain, and technical support, and other problems.

This coming November, CCCI will hold a three-day Beauty, Health, and Wellness Show 2005, that will group together all the players in the industry, inviting other exhibitors from other areas in the Philippines.

Carrying the theme "Enhancing Business in Beauty, Health & Wellness," CCCI will offer over 100 available booths for exhibitors to showcase their products and services

According to Fruelda, through this endeavor, CCCI will know the key players of the wellness industry in Cebu as it is growing rapidly.

Last year, CCCI initiated the creation of Software developers through Cebu Software Development Industry Association Inc. (CebuSoft) to strengthen this new and fragile industry.

Immediately after the creation of CebuSoft, the Canadian government through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has granted a multi-million peso assistance for the group.

Cebu's wellness service had already gained acceptance from both domestic and foreign markets, as tourists in the province identified the Spa, and other wellness services as part of their travel service requirement, aside from shopping.

"We can assist an industry more effectively if they are grouped together through an organization. This will help players to impose professionalism in the sector," Fruelda said.

Like Thailand and other countries in Asia, wherein the wellness sector is heavily supported by government and private sector, CCCI will initiate the creation of Cebu's wellness sector so that Cebu can take off as one of the world's preferred wellness destinations.

CCCI, which has been actively promoting the tourism development of Cebu, now it is heading to strengthen the support services in tourism and the Wellness industry he said is the sector that needs wide promotion both in domestic and international markets.