DoT encourages resorts, hotels to upgrade services

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Tourism encourages hotels and resorts to upgrade their services to attract more tourists who are very particular with the best accommodations in determining which country they would go to.

This after reports stated that the country’s ranking in the World Economic Forum Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report has dropped.

A representative from the German cooperation GTZ stated that the country should develop more travel and tourism-related facilities and have one recognizable brand to be promoted worldwide.

DOT Secretary Ace Durano said that he supports the call to enforce quality standards.

But Durano added that “reality in the market place, however, shows that market preferences or standards differ from market to market. It is for this reason that the department advocates and enforces a basic quality standard.”

Durano said that they leave it to the hotels and resorts to implement additional standards based on the requirements of the markets where such accommodations are specializing in.

“These provides for a flexible and cost effective system for the country's accommodation sector,” Durano said.

The chairman emeritus for the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies in the Philippines Robert Lim Joseph said that it would be hard to brand the whole Philippines because it would need a lot of support and budget as well.

He said that it would be hard considering that the Philippines is not a destination as a whole since tourists opt to go to the particular places which Lim said would be easier to brand.

According to Lim, it would be easier to brand the anchor destinations like Cebu, Bohol and Boracay since these are a few of the already known tourist spots in the country.

Lim also said that this is why the tourism sector is also advocating for the development of more hotels in order to cater to the growing needs of the foreign and local tourists.