Sustainable tourism, tourists’ security and safety pushed

TOURISM officials are pushing for sustainable tourism and for making sure that tourists are safe and secure in visiting destinations in the country especially in Cebu.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said in a recent visit to Cebu, that she was pushing for sustainable tourism in Cebu, which is one of the country’s tourism magnets.

“I was able to talk to the private sector here. We were talking about how we can make sustainable tourism here because we have Mactan, Bohol. We have to make sure (that) it’s all sustainable. We have to promote tourism without harming the environment,” said Puyat during her first official visit to Cebu during the inauguration of the new Terminal 2 of the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA).

Puyat added that the Department of Tourism (DOT) does not want what happened to Boracay Island, which is currently closed for six months and being renovated, to also happen to Cebu’s tourist spots as well as the rest of the region.

She reminded stakeholders to be conscious of the carrying capacity of the different tourist spots here.

Aside from Cebu’s beaches, Puyat said the DOT also wants to promote other tourism destinations in Cebu like its heritage churches and its food, commenting how good Cebu’s lechon and chocolates are.

Meanwhile, DOT-7 Director Shalamar Tamano said that he would also focus on the security and safety of tourists in the region.

During Thursday’s Tourism Innovation Forum in Cebu City, Tamano encouraged tourism stakeholders to help authorities in securing tourists.

He said that security and safety is not only the responsibility of police and defense officials but it is also the responsibility of the tourism stakeholders, staffs, managers and even chefs to make sure that the tourists would be treated properly.

“A happy tourist is one who arrives back home safe and sound and that is the ultimate success as far as were concerned,” He said. / CNU Intern Bea Samantha Esteves