DOT to provide LGUs with tourism guidebook

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Tourism will soon provide a guidebook to help local government units in Cebu province to craft their own tourism development plans in their respective towns and municipalities.

Department of Tourism (DOT-7) regional director Rowena Montecillo announced that her office is going to roll out the tourism guidebook on February.

She noted that there are more LGUs that need proper training on tourism development plan.

"The aim here is to help LGUs become DOT independent in terms of making their own tourism plans because these plans should really be initiated by them. DOT's intervention will come in form of technical assistance that will suit the community," said Montecillo.

The guidebook will help educate and determine the function of local tourism officers and LGU executives in the development of their local tourism roadmaps.

Montecillo added that the tourism office has increased its efforts in developing new tourism destinations in the countryside.

At present, more LGUs in Cebu are active in implementing their own tourism development plan, most of them are eco-tourism destinations, Montecillo said.

"More LGUs are now aware of the growth opportunities tourism can bring to their locality in terms of income and job generation. Those areas with high potential in tourism have been working closely with the DOT in terms of technical and marketing help," she said.

Without the introduction of the guidebook, Montecillo said some LGUs would not know their tourism plans while others don't know what to do with their tourism sites

"But they are starting to learn. We are hoping this guidebook will help them," she said.

She mentioned Malabuyoc town, which has an exemplary LGU initiated program, maximizing the potential of its waterfalls and hot springs.

Montecillo said that DOT is strongly encouraging LGUs to make tourism as one of their top priority projects to harness the potential of tourism in their respective places. At  the same time ride on the sustaining position of Cebu as premier tourism destination in the Philippines. (FREEMAN)