Capitol to launch tourism education program

COSTAS

The Cebu provincial government will be launching a tourism education program next year, an initiative that will delve on the benefits as well as negative impacts of tourism to communities.

Joselito “Boboi” Costas, provincial tourism chief, said the need for tourism education was among the major issues raised during a stakeholders’ consultation in Mandaue City last September.

“There is a lack of understanding among local communities on responsible tourism. When you talk about tourism, it has impacts, both positive and negative. Communities need to understand why there is a need to mitigate these negative impacts,” he told Cebu Daily News in a phone interview.

Costas revealed this initiative following the controversial visit of some Miss Universe candidates to Oslob town in southern Cebu, where they reportedly swam with whale sharks, amid criticisms from environmental groups.

He said that only a few places in Cebu are into sustainable tourism practices, not because of outright resistance but lack of education.

He explained that sustainable tourism means putting in place measures or plans that would respond to the United Nation’s sustainable goals, of which three are more or less related to tourism.

These include efficient and sustainable consumption and production of tourism resources, women empowerment and protection of marine resources.

Among the towns that are into sustainable tourism practices are Aloguinsan for its Bojo River and Boljoon for its cultural heritage, he said.

The Capitol official said around P1 million has been proposed to fund activities under the program, including the activation and creation of local tourism councils, as well as trainings for students and policymakers.

“We plan to activate existing tourism councils and create for towns that still don’t have any so we can start with our interventions. We will invite them to a meeting and from there, we will plan based on whatever issues will come out,” said Costas.

He added that they also intend to make tourism councils “more private-led” as the private sector has more resources and can propose better solutions to problems considering their involvement in the industry.

However, he said there should still be representatives from the public sector such as the local municipal council and other local counterparts of national line agencies dealing with tourism.

Edilberto Mendoza, president of the Cebu Association of Tour Operators, welcomed this initiative, saying that was a moment he has long been waiting for.

“This has always been my dream, which I have always mentioned during workshops and meetings,” he said.

Mendoza said local government units play a vital role in tourism, as their involvement in the management of tourism sites dictate how the industry will develop.