CCCI seeks support for eco-tourism project

CEBU, Philippines - The Tourism Committee of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) has formalized its call to the Department of Tourism (DOT) to support Cebu’s positioning in the eco-tourism sector.

CCCI Tourism Committee chairperson Milagros Espina said that the group has already sent a letter to DOT secretary Alberto Lim, asking DOT office to provide the same support to Cebu’s tourism industry, “just like in the past.”

Espina expressed confidence that DOT will be able to throw support in “whatever” forms to sustain Cebu’s edge in the tourism industry.

Recently, CCCI Tourism Committee launched “The Eco Tourism and Heritage Program”, which highlights the ecology attractions in Cebu, developed by environment-friendly capitalists and investors.

According to Espina, the program will create another facet of Cebu tourism, and additional tour options for tourists, aside from the existing destinations traditionally sold by travel operators here.

Espina hopes that this initiative will be fully supported by the DOT national office, and that development and introduction of more eco-tourism destinations in Cebu will be added to the promotional collaterals of the DOT.

CCCI, together with private and government agency supporters rolled out at least 10 thousand pieces of brochures on this program, to heighten awareness of Cebu’s new attraction on eco-tourism which are also helping some constituents in the destination’s locality providing jobs and improve daily income.

This is the first full-fledged initiative in Cebu to properly highlight the different eco-tourism destinations in the province.

This program is also supported by major tourism stakeholder groups in Cebu, like the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (Naitas Cebu), Cebu Association of Tour Operators (CATO), CebuTour and Travel Association (CTTA), Cebu Visitors and Convention Bureau (CVCB), Hotel, Resort, Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC), and others.

“We [CCCI] are only the advocator, initiator of the stakeholders. This is our way for contributing to Cebu’s tourism sector, of which it is also one of the three advocacy thrusts of the chamber,” Espina added.

Lim, in his earlier pronouncement, said that the government still has to push other potential destinations in the Philippines, and Cebu with its dynamic tourism sector, need only minimal support from the government.

“Cebu can do it by itself,” said Lim adding that Cebu stakeholders are pro-active enough to draw its own program and that the government will well support it.

The new tourism chief said that Cebu will be able to benefit by the new government’s thrust on pursuing infrastructure projects that will improve the attractiveness of the country as a premier tourism destination. (FREEMAN)