WTO lauds RP’s ecotourism initiatives

The World Tourism Organization (WTO) recently lauded the Department of Tourism’s trailblazing role in coastal tourism development.

"Abounding in natural and cultural tourism attractions, the Philippines has served as a regional and global example for good practices in coastal tourism development. The government of the Philippines has been quick to take note of the positive impacts of tourism on its society as well as to recognize the need for a sustainable development of the industry to mitigate its negative impacts," said WTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli.

He also commended the Philippines‘ leading role in both global and regional tourism affairs. It was in Manila that a WTO declaration on the social impacts of tourism was delivered in 1999 during the high-profile World Tourism Leaders’ Meeting in which 77 countries and territories were represented. During the WTO General Assembly in 1999, Tourism Secretary Gemma Cruz-Araneta was unanimously elected as chairperson of the Regional Commission for East Asia and the Pacific.

"The chairman of WTO‘s Regional Commission for East Asia and the Pacific represents the 13 member states of the region at all WTO events and whose leadership guides the WTO on what steps to take assure an orderly development of tourism in the East Asia and the Pacific region," Frangialli stressed.

The Philippines’ trailblazing role in sustainable development practice is underscored by the issuance of Executive Order 111 setting the framework for ecotourism development in the country.

EO III, which was signed by President Estrada on June 17, 1999, declares the development and promotion of sustianble tourism as the state’s policy, stressing that ecotourism will promote environmental protection and at the same time, contribute to the country’s economic growth.

Araneta chairs the Cabinet-level National Ecotourism Development Council (NEDC). The NEDC is mandated to map out the country’s national ecotourism strategy and program in consultation with the private sector, non-governmental organizations, indigenous peoples, local government units, and the academe.

She recently approved the operating guidelines for EO 111, which delineated the roles of the NEDC, the National Ecotourism Steering Committee (NESC) and the Regional Ecotourism Committees (RECs) in coming up with the strategy and program for development. She has likewise affirmed the nominations for multi-sectoral representatives in the NEDC and NESC, which were finalized following a series of consultative meetings nationwide.