DOT pushes furniture sector as potential tourism come-on

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Tourism (DOT) has reiterated its support to help promote the furniture industry in Cebu as one of the province’s tourism come-ons.

DOT undersecretary for planning and promotions said aside from the department’s monetary support given to the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc. (CFIF) in its annual international exhibition called CebuNext, DOT is also promoting Cebu furniture as part of the province’s attraction to tourists.

According to Jarque, DOT has always been supportive of the furniture industry in Cebu, and this will be a long partnership with the CFIF, he said.

Last year, DOT secretary Joseph Ace Durano announced that DOT and CFIF will be working together to formulate a program that will promote the furniture industry in Cebu in a all-year-round basis. Just like the support extended by DOT to the real estate industry in the Philippines, which is aimed at bringing in investor-tourists to the Philippines.

This time, DOT will also bring in furniture buyers from all over the world in a form of “familiarization trip” to promote tourism and furniture industry in Cebu in one.

Part of the plan is to include Cebu’s branding as the “Design Destination in Asia” in all tourism-related promotions abroad.

This way, DOT will not only help spur tourism for the province, but also helping the “barely-breathing” furniture export trade.

DOT gave its biggest monetary contribution to the Cebu International and Furnishings Exhibition Show in 2009, with P2-million financial assistance.

This year, however, the Department gave lesser contribution to the show due to budget constraints.

Furniture industry players are hoping to hit 15 percent growth this year, after the industry experienced a 50 percent drop in 2009.

The industry experienced an all-time-low volume orders last year, with only 4,000 containers shipped out of Cebu, from an average of 14,000 containers in 2006.

Players are hopeful that the 15 percent growth this year can be achieved, specifically that active efforts are now being implemented by industry players to survive competition.

Now that DOT is also reviving its aggressive promotional campaign in the European market, it hopes to also help heighten the awareness of European market to Cebu-made furniture and furnishings.

Recently, the European Commission has granted a P65 million worth of support to the export industry in Cebu, specifically the furniture and home furnishing sector.

According to the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines environment and sustainable development officer Matthieu Penot, EU has recognized Cebu’s export industry in the furniture, fashion accessory and GTH, as the fastest growing sectors in the Philippines, being able to thrive amid the challenging market environment brought about by the global recession.

He said the market in Europe for this kind of products is big, provided that makers will be able to fully embrace a “green” production system.