DOT targets to bring in 10-M foreign tourists by 2016

To become the ‘must experience’ destination in Asia is the strategic vision of the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) National Tourism Development Plan 2011 to 2016 as it targets to bring in 10 million tourist to the Philippines.

This was shared by DOT Regional Director Purificacion Molintas during the Regional Tourism Summit held at Hotel Supreme here, Wednesday, that was attended by various local chief executives, government line agency officials and multi-sectoral leaders from various parts of the region.

According to Molintas, the goal for such vision is to develop an environmentally and socially responsible tourism industry that delivers more widely distributed income and employment opportunities targeting 6.62 million international arrivals and 34.78 million domestic travellers by 2016, contributing 6.78% to Gross Domestic Product and directly employing 6.6 million people.

“The goal set by Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez is to bring in a minimum of six up to a maximum of 10 million foreign tourists in the country by 2016,” Molintas said.

She also disclosed that they are now converging their programs with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) for the fast development of infrastructures particularly roads leading to key tourist destinations and the improvement of all airports that would link such destinations to other parts of the country and abroad.

Included in the development plan are 21 strategic thematic tourism destination clusters, covering 77 Tourism Development Areas, in Northern, Central and Southern Philippines.

Molintas also reported that they have initially set eight tourism products to promote namely nature based, cultural, sun and beach, shopping, leisure and entertainment, MICE (Meetings, incentives, convention and exhibition), health and wellness, cruise and nautical tourism.

As part of efforts to promote the country as a must experience destination, Molintas also confirmed that DOT has already set a new international campaign slogan, “It’s More Fun in the Philippines.”

She also reported that 2011 was good year for tourism with more than 3.5 million foreign tourists visiting the country from January to November of last year which showed a 12.66 increase compared to the 3.12 million foreign tourists recorder during the same period in 2010.

Other speakers invited in the said Tourism Congress were John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) President and CEO Jamie Louise Manzano-Agbayani, Mountain Province Congressman Maximo Dalog Sr. who chairs the North Quad Special House Committee, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Area Manager II Ronald Estabillo, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-CAR) Regional Director Edilberto Carabaccan and Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) consultant Atty. Niño Aquino.

Source - pia.gov.ph