Value chain workshop set for tourism stakeholders

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry Cebu Provincial Office (DTI-Cebu) aims to conduct a value chain workshop among industry stakeholders to further develop and strengthen the tourism boom in Bantayan Island.

This is in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the local government units of the three municipalities in Bantayan Island and the Cebu Provincial Government.

DTI–Cebu business development division chief Elias Tecson said that the increase in the number of beach resorts, restaurants and tour operators could be primarily attributed to the influx of tourists in Cebu and in the island.

Such establishments, he cited, are responsible of providing tourists with a variety of services and packages that are tailor fit according to their needs and preferences.

Bantayan Island is considered to be one of Cebu’s most visited tourism destinations. It is located in the northern part of the province and is composed of three municipalities named as Santa Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos. Its inherent natural resources, white sand beaches and pristine clear waters are said to be the main attraction among local and international tourists.

Tecson further noted that it is also high time to strengthen the value chain of the tourism sector in Bantayan Island in order to fuel such growth.

The value chain approach is considered to be a systematic tool to improve market access and performance of the sector through the identification and analysis of the various functions and processes of the different actors and enablers involved.

The value chain workshop aims to orient stakeholders of the island’s tourism sector on the value chain tool and increase their understanding of the value chain approach and its importance in addressing key industry issues and opportunities.

It will further help to capacitate the tourism players and policy makers to examine the industry’s value chain and identify the gaps and other opportunities to come up with development interventions that are attuned with the needs of the market.

This is also intended to evaluate the status of the tourism industry in Bantayan Island, set a clear vision for the sector, integrate the various resources of private and public sector and strengthen institutional linkages to effectively plan, implement and monitor initiatives under the value chain tool.

The value chain workshop for the tourism development of Bantayan Island is expected to strengthen the tourism sector of the three municipalities in the island and increase the tourism- related investments and job generation.

Tecson said that such vision will be achieved with the creation of the value chain map and a comprehensive tourism action plan for the island.

The two-day activity that is scheduled on October 8 to 9 will gather key industry players such as the main providers of tourism products and services in Bantayan Island, travel and tour services, education and training services, tourism-related entities, other institutions from the private sector, national government agencies and local government units. /JOB (FREEMAN)