As the pursuit of sustainability remains to be DOT’s strategic goal, Puyat said the country preserves its purpose of ensuring a strengthened and long-lasting collaboration among stakeholders.
THIS year’s Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Adventure Travel Conference and Mart was attended by about 300 participants, of whom only 61 were allowed onsite in accordance with the government’s minimum health standards and social distancing requirements.
It is the country’s first international MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) event this year hosted by the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) and staged in a hybrid set-up.
Held at Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort in Clark Freeport, Pampanga, a total of 35 Philippine sellers participated in the business-to-business and networking activities.
Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, DOT secretary, said despite the challenges, the DOT acknowledges the commitment and continuous support of PATA for the industry’s fast and effective recovery, through the various technical assistance, information sharing and capacity development activities they have rolledout.
Puyat added the event is a testament that the country is a trailblazer in hybrid events, showing the world that MICE can be done safely.
She said the event is another pursuit of purpose — to fulfill the goal of the Asia-Pacific region in embracing new and innovative ideas, advocating the creation of opportunities for adventure and responsible tourism, and advancing the industry through regenerative tourism.
This year’s summit was mounted in collaboration with the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) and focused on the creation of opportunities for adventure and responsible tourism.
In 2019, the country hosted the PATA Annual Summit in Cebu with the theme “Progress with a Purpose.”
As the pursuit of sustainability remains to be DOT’s strategic goal, Puyat said the Philippines preserves its purpose of ensuring a strengthened and long-lasting collaboration among tourism stakeholders and industry key partners within Asia-Pacific.
“Further efforts are also channeled toward the promotion of adventurous activities as a product that is very suitable to the demands of the new normal of travel,” Puyat added, as it is mostly done outdoors, promotes conservation of nature and leans away from mass tourism trends.
The DOT enjoins the private and public sector to work together in rebuilding the industry’s confidence through advocating responsible, safe and sustainable tourism.
Now is the chance to recalibrate objectives, re-strategize priorities and reimagine tourism toward sustainable development as well as for the rapid, robust and responsible renewal of the industry, she stressed.
For this purpose, the DOT crafted the Tourism Response and Recovery Plan (TRRP) in partnership with the private stakeholders through the Tourism Congress of the Philippines and in consultation with the World Bank to protect and ensure employment and business survival during and post enhanced community quarantine; enable government and private sector to work cohesively toward a sustainable and resilient tourism industry for the future, and provide policies and guidelines for the new normal.
Enhanced product and market development was underscored in the TRRP as one of the six thematic outcomes, which will pave the way for adventure tourism.
Being primarily an outdoor activity, and with obvious resemblance to the baseline requirement for a healthy and safe travel, “it presents an opportunity for a strong reversal and onward growth,” Puyat noted.
While adventure tourism has been recognized as a global tourism trend and tourists shift their interest to new destinations and experiences, the country’s unique 7,641 islands have a lot to offer.
On a hastening pace in the previous year, Puyat said the country enhanced its digital transformation efforts to promote travel and tourism in the new normal, with the support and initiatives of the various tourism stakeholders in the public and private sector.
Presently, the country retains its pro-active stance in exploring new innovative tourism products, including adventure tourism that will contribute to fast-track the recovery of the sector within Asia-Pacific.
For his part, Benito Bengzon, DOT undersecretary for tourism development, said this hybrid set-up is a step towards the future of tourism.
Bengzon said tourism is among the most adversely affected sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic. The dismal figures alone speak volumes to support this claim.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization data showed that 2019 was the banner year for tourism, with 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals recorded globally.
“As weeks of uncertainty and fear turned into months, the momentum of a then booming industry screeched to a halt,” Bengzonnoted.
The global record of tourist arrivals dramatically shrank by 74 percent, equating to about a billion less arrivals last year. This was a direct impact of border closures and stringent travel restrictions in all tourism markets
According to Bengzon, Asia Pacific has enjoyed the highest increment year-on-year for tourism arrivals and revenue in the past decade and is also the region with the most significant drop in tourism figures.
Asia Pacific saw an 84 percent decrease in international arrivals in 2020, which is about 300 million less than in 2019. The Middle East and Africa both recorded 75 percent drops, Europe arrivals declined by 70 percent, and the America suffered a drop of 69 percent.
