Creating a feasibility study, partnering with the local private tourism sector, and having a long-term tourism plan were among the factors which Vice-President Sara Z. Duterte bared led to a highly successful tourism program in Davao City during her time as the city mayor.
The Vice-President shared these tips to local government executives who attended the General Assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines held in Manila where she delivered a speech on Feb. 22.
“Hindi pu-pwede na kung ano yung gusto ninyong maging tourism program sa inyong lugar ay pwede na siyang iroll-out. Kailangan po muna ay gumawa kayo ng feasibility study, kelangan niyo ng budget sa pag-aaral para makikita niyo ano ang strength ng inyong lugar (It cannot be that what tourism program you wanted for your place you can just rollout. You would need to make a feability study, allot a budget for the study so you can see the strength of your place),” the Vice President describes the importance of a tourism feasibility study.
Vice-President Duterte also cited the importance of the partnership with the private sector in the tourism program.
“Kapag Nakita nyo na po nang inyong lugar at sa municipality na pwede ninyong pag-investan ng inyong tourism budget ay kailangan niyo po ang partnership at nakapahalaga po nito ang partnership ng private sector dahil nasa kanila ang pera. Kailangan nyo po ng mga hotel rooms, kailangan nyo po ng ancillary services na kasama nang paglabas nila sa airport at pagbalik nila sa airport lahat yon kailangan niyo ang tulong ng private sector ng lugar ninyo. (If you see the strength of your place where you can invest your tourism budget, the partnership with the private sector is very important because they have the money. You need the hotel rooms, you need the ancillary services when they get out of the airport to their return to the airport all of those you need the help of the private sector of your place),” the Vice-President said.
Then Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte’s tourism program was marked with a strong partnership with the private tourism sector led by the Davao Tourism Association.
The Vice-President also said that a long-term plan for tourism should be in place to sustain the gains.
“Kapag sinabi po nating long-term yoon po yung plano na iniiwan ninyo beyond your term sabihin natin nakabuo ka ng 9 years kailangan po ninyo ang plano na long-term ay umaabot po sa susunod na Mayor dahil napakahalaga po ng continuity ng mga program ng isang local government unit para hindi nasasayang ang investment sa inyong tourism program at ma-institutionalize ninyop ang lahat ng inyong mga ginagawa (If we speak of long term that are the plans you leave beyond your term. Let us say you completed 9 years, you need to have a long-term plan that will extend to the next Mayor because continuity is very important in the program of a local government unit so that your investments in tourism will not be wasted and you will institutionalize what you have done),” Vice President Duterte said.
The City Government of Davao under Mayor Sebastian Duterte in July last year accepted the 25-year Davao City Tourism Masterplan whose crafting was started during the term of then Mayor Sara Duterte.
The Vice-President who was Davao City Mayor from for one term from 2010-2013 and two terms from 2016 to 2022 recognized tourism as one of the city’s prime economic drivers.
Before being rudely interrupted by the pandemic the city’s tourism industry experienced high growth.
Tourism arrivals in Davao City reached 2.57 million in 2019, an increase of 7.5% from 2018 tourism figures. The City was ranked as the third most visited destination in the country in 2019.
One of then Mayor Sara Duterte's tourism plans was for Davao City to become a top-of-mind destination for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibits) tourism not just in the Philippines but also for the Southeast Asian region.
Under her term the City made a bid and won the 2020 MICE Convention, the largest gathering of MICE tourism industry players in the country. The pandemic however put on hold the hosting of the event, which will eventually push through this March 1 to 3, 2023 in Davao City. (PIA/RG Alama)
