CCCI forum to push for call to action on sustainable tourism

Lilu Alino, chairperson of the Cebu Business Month 2019, cites the need for call to action to address concerns in the tourism sector. /Irene R. Sino Cruz

CEBU CITY, Philippines–Recognizing the importance of tourism in Cebu’s economy, the Tourism Innovation Forum 2019 scheduled on June 18 will enjoin all industry stakeholders to come up with an action plan to ensure its sustainability.

Lilu Alino, chairperson of the Cebu Business Month (CBM) 2019 organizing committee, explained the need for a call to action to ensure sustainable tourism that is a major contributor to Cebu’s economy.

In 2018, 77 percent of the the eight million tourists that arrived in Central Visayas visited Cebu. Tourism earnings last year also reached P44.2 billion.

Aside from including specific plans to ensure sustainable tourism, Alino also cited the need to identify the role of tourists in environment protection.

She said that some tourists don’t bother dispose of their garbage, especially the plastics, properly.

Meanwhile, Alice Queblatin, co-chairperson of the Tourism Innovation Forum 2019, recalled that the provincial government had created a task force to look at the Oslob whale watching activities.

During their meetings with the stakeholders, Queblatin said, an agreement was reached to limit the carrying capacity or the number of tourists per day. She added that the local government has the responsibility to implement this policy.

Queblatin also urged all those engaged in tourism activities to join the June 18 forum so they could learn how to use technology to remain competitive.

The Tourism Innovation Forum is one of the activities of CBM 2019, a month-long activity organized by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI). /dcb