Arroyo speaks before global conference on tourism

CEBU - A total of 321 participants from different Asian countries will meet here for a two-day international tourism forum to come up a new international recommendation for better tourism statistics. 

Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano and United Nations World Tourism Organization Secretary General Francesco Frangialli led the opening program of the 6th International Tourism Forum for Parliamentarians and Local Authorities yesterday morning at the Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City.

President Gloria Arroyo will be the guest speaker of the forum this afternoon.

Both Durano and Frangialli said there is a need to come up new recommendations to be adopted by Asian countries regarding statistics for tourism.

Durano said the workshop will also discuss the capacity building program on tourism statistics in Asia.

The Department of Tourism has identified eight provinces in central Philippines as priority areas for the capacity building program; Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Iloilo, Aklan, Bacolod and Palawan. 

The Japan International Cooperation Agency assured their support for the implementation of these capacity building programs, Durano said. 

These programs will take over a period of two years and involve training of officials from the National Tourism Administration, National Statistical Office, Central Bank and the migration authorities.

The International Labor Organizations and the UNWTO are developing a joint project to provide guidance to countries to start developing employment data in tourism industries, recommendations for measuring quality of employment in tourism, as well as international guidelines on best practices for this type of employment. – Jose P. Sollano/BRP (THE FREEMAN)