DOT-7 urges LGUs to focus on wellness, medical tourism, outdoor activities
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Department of Tourism in Central Visayas (DOT-7) is encouraging local government units (LGUs) in the region to venture into wellness and medical tourism, as well as outdoor activities.
DOT-7 regional director Shalimar Tamano said that now that LGUs in the region are under the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), wherein hotels and resorts are already permitted to operate, the tourism industry is expected to gradually be vibrant again.
“Well kani, more or less, magdungan-dungan man gihapon ni ug balik. So kinsay mas prepared, kinsa mas safe sa perception sa turista, kinsay padayon ang produkto ug kinsay mas naay bag-ong produkto, mao nay adtuon sa mga turista,” Tamano said.
(More or less they will reopen at the same time. So whoever is more prepared, whoever is safer in the perception of the tourist, who continues with their usual products and who has new products, those are the ones tourists will go to.)
This is why the regional director is urging LGUs to focus on aspects which may help improve the tourism in the region.
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“That’s why we should focus on wellness, on medical tourism, on the outdoors. When you say outdoors, we’re not only referring to the mountains. We are also referring to island hopping boating business. Because tourists these days, they either go to the sea or the mountains,” Tamano said.
Tamano added that for now, the agency is focusing on local tourism, and will continue to follow the guidelines set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
He also hopes that IATF will start allowing domestic tourism with strict guidelines and observance of health and safety protocols.
In line with this, Tamano is encouraging tourism stakeholders to prepare themselves and develop their services by taking advantage of technology.
“We should be prepared, based on technology. Things like cashless payment, online payment for ships, online payment for transportation,” he said.
Tamano revealed that last year, around 4.3 million foreign tourists visited the region.
/bmjo
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