Stakeholders throw support behind renewed domestic tourism program

Travel and tourism stakeholders, faced by the grim prospects of weakening business due to the international financial meltdown, are all-out in support of the renewed domestic tourism program of the government which President Arroyo spelled out in Boracay the other day.
Robert Lim Joseph, chairman emeritus of National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (Naitas), said the global economic crunch can actually be an opportunity to boost domestic tourism by riding on the current cheap promo fares and hotel discounts that make travel very affordable to ordinary Filipinos.
Joseph said the government can tie this up with its holiday tourism and by encouraging industries reeling from the international financial meltdown to cut down on work like a shorter work week and give their employees vacation while production schedule is slow.
President Arroyo had said “tourism is one of the sectors we have to strengthen as our response to the global financial meltdown.”
“We will not be cowed by the global crisis,” she said. “The government, this administration will continue to be a strong partner of the tourism industry as we promote our nation and its natural beauty.”
The Naitas honorary chairman said the government can help along by giving tax rebates to citizens who patronize local tourism and to tour and travel establishments which cooperate with the government in this program.
This is a win-win situation for all, with employees getting affordable vacation, the industries getting a respite from production which can be used for maintenance and the travel and tourism business getting a boost from local patronage, he said.
Joseph urged the government to push a tourism culture in the countryside where the local governments and the residents do not only promote and enhance their respective tourist attractions but also are friendly and helpful to travelers.
At the same time, he said, the government can help by building new and improving old roads, bridges and other infrastructure in these localities that will make them accessible and convenient to tourists.
Joseph added local tourism on the barangay level will create jobs and mitigate the massive unemployment that is expected to result from the economic crisis.
This way, he said, Philippine tourism and travel sectors will not only survive but will also be in stronger position to exploit the rebound in global travel once the recession is over.