Turismo Sugbo program taps 8 schools, 12 municipalities

CEBU, Philippines - Following the formal Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing to seal the implementation of “Turismo Sugbo” program, between the Cebu Province and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), eight schools and 12 municipalities have been identified to put this initiative into action.This year’s Cebu Business Month (CBM 2012) Tourism Congress chairperson Maria Teresa Chan announced that the program will be started soon to maximize the tourism potential of the countryside, as well as take advantage of Cebu’s rich tourism skilled manpower.

The program’s partner academe include; University of Cebu, University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR), Southwestern University (SWU), University of Southern Philippines (USP), Cebu Normal University (CNU), Benedicto College, and Asian College of Technology (ACT).

Likewise, this tourism related public-private partnership has identified 12 municipalities to support this program namely; Toledo, Carcar, Sogod, Lilo-an, Moalboal, Pilar, Aloguinsan, Ronda, Dalaguete, Tudela, Alcoy and Dumanjug.

Together, these four mentors (academe, business community, tourism stakeholders, local government units) will help the development of tourism in the outskirt areas of the province, making tourism as one of their top revenue generators.

Part of the plan, according to Chan is for the group to come up with standardize quality of service to tourists, as well as formulate an effective and intensive “Creative Tourism Package” for every participating municipality.

The LGUs she said are expected to ensure the implementation of the program to which include also monitoring.

Chan said the initial output of the program will be highlighted during the Tourism Congress 2012 set on June 28, 2012.

This year’s 22nd Tourism Congress will situate itself in the current tourism thrusts of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and tackles new perspectives and concerns which will sustain Cebu’s tourism programs and involve the various sectors of community, Chan said.

Institutionalizing the “Turismo Sugbo” program is one of the chamber’s strongest bets to push tourism in Cebu, specifically maximizing the high potential tourism destinations within the province.

With the help of marketing experts in the private sector, and the academe, together with the Provincial government, Espina hopes that Cebu will sustain its lead in the development of countryside tourism in the country. (FREEMAN)