DOT: Keep tourism in Bohol sustainable and affordable

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — Tourism undersecretary Ma. Victoria Jasmin, during the recent launching of the Tourism Summit held in a resort in this city, dared stakeholders to keep Bohol tourism sustainable and affordable.

The positive growth climb of the tourism industry in the province has been promising and continues to be so but everybody should put their acts together, she said as she cited data from the DOT and the Bohol Tourism Office showing a tourism boom in the province, specifically on domestic tourists.

The launching in Bohol of the Tourism Summit, slated in June this year, was "very timely and historic moment" since it is the first of its kind in the local level, and initiated by Governor Edgar Chatto, said. Jasmin.

The National Geographic Adventure magazine in 2010 listed Bohol on top of the top five destination tours in the Philippines, the others of which are Mount Pinatubo Crater Adventure trek, Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Batanes Island and Cagayan De Oro-Camiguin Island.

While attributing this feat to the successful tourism campaign urging greater domestic travel and maximizing opportunities in international markets, Jasmin said the local stakeholders shall strive more in improving hotel accommodations and lowering travel costs.

Jasmin told stakeholders to make Bohol a "model in tourism governance," like during her visits to other places where she has been inviting LGUs to come to Bohol to replicate what the province did to the industry.

Local legislatures shall enact ordinances to stop environmental abuses and carry out effective enforcement of these laws, she told LGU officials here.

Another recommendation she laid out was for industry players to be considerate by providing competitive rates to tourists. "If they're too high, visitors will go to other destinations," she said.

Jasmin then outline some factors crucial to tourism development, namely: complete tourism package, strategic planning, leadership and coordination and cooperation among stakeholders, and coordination between public and private sectors.

Jasmin said new tourism products and attractions must be established because Bohol is no longer a "satellite" destination to Cebu, she said, as she dared stakeholders to present proposals to be incorporated in the national tourism development plan now being formulated.

The pre-summit workshops have also identified some constraints and opportunities of the industry, such as the mismatch of promotion of eco-tour destinations, high prices of services and products, eco-cultural against mainstream tourism, uncontrolled environmental law violation, waste disposal problem, lack of marketing strategy, and unstable power supply, among others. —  THE FREEMAN