Davao City to host 2006 ASEAN gab on tourism

DAVAO CITY — Amid the grand celebration of the 20th Kadayawan sa Dabaw here yesterday, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano announced that Davao City would host the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) on Jan. 19-21 next year.

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte gladly accepted the good news and the challenge of spearheading the preparations for the important event, which is expected to prominently place Davao City on the international tourism map.

The Philippines first hosted ATF in 1992 and 1998, held in Metro Manila and Cebu City, respectively. After Davao City in 2006, the next ATF in the country will be held in 2016.

The nine-day ATF will involve meetings of the tourism ministers of the 10 ASEAN member-countries as well as of China, Japan and Korea, and a travel mart attracting tourism sellers and buyers from all over the region and other parts of the world.

Durano said the Department of Tourism has formed a task force to make preparations for the ATF, which the country is hosting a year ahead of schedule after Myanmar ceded the ASEAN chairmanship for next year. — With Mayen Jaymalin