CEBU, Philippines - With the positive growth rate on tourist arrivals for the region, the government is closely working with the private sector to sustain such and to be at par with international standards.
This according to Department of Tourism Regional Director Rowena Montecillo in a recent interview with The Freeman.
She noted that tourism should be treated as a business since tourist arrivals have a corresponding profit for a particular area.
With such perspective, she added that the region should be keen on the needs of the visitors to guarantee a comfortable and happy stay.
“We are there to check if they are ready? Is it enough? Are the prices okay? We have to see first before we promote. DOT is here to guide and to ensure that our service is at par with international standards. We are not competing with other places in the country but outside, closest is the Asian region,” she continued.
She cited that other areas to attend to are additional tourist sites and assessment of new products since everything is not in place yet.
While the government is working hard to look for funding for innovative promotions, she commended the private sector as to how they assure their thrust to offer quality service to the tourists.
“Cebu, Bohol and the whole region 7 is not much of a problem. Even other provinces such as Negros and Siquijor also follow. They are not lagging behind. And this success is private sector –led. DOT is there as their partner. Leaders of Central Visayas are into tourism so we don’t have any problem,” Montecillo said.
She said that DOT would also focus on primary enterprises such as hotels, accommodation establishments, tour operators, air, water and land transportation, MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) group.
“Central Visayas has always been on top as an island destination. Everything is in place. What is difficult is maintaining it. But we are here to ensure that the destination is ready before we promote it so as not to provide bad impression from the tourists. The private sector, on the other hand, is actually and would always be willing to support us,” she said.
She further cited that the Department of Science and Technology also expressed support in funding DOT’s activities that involve science and technology.
Meanwhile, DOT has reported the top ten travel markets in Cebu which includes Korea, Japan, United States of America, China, Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada and Hong Kong from January to June 2012,
With 45.42% share of the total volume of tourist arrivals, Korea tops among other countries with a growth rate of 12.74% this year compared to the same period of 2011.
It is followed by Japan with 17.23% growth rate, accounting 20.35% of the market share and USA posting a 16.92% increase from last year’s performance while contributing 10.70% share of the total volume of tourists. — (FREEMAN)