Metro Manila Tourism tackles issues on sustainable dev’t

QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista and Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo led the recent Metro Manila Tourism Forum (MMTF) which tackled issues on the development of the national capital region as one of the country’s top urban destination.

The two- day event was participated in by local tourism council offi cers, local government executives, and industry frontliners and featured presentations on the best attractions and tour packages in the metropolis.

Ms. Teo, who led the keynote speakers along with international resource persons, said there is a need for the metro’s cities to continue building up their advantages and capitalize these gains to promote the development of the country’s tourism industry.

She said that there is a need for the cities to capitalize on their similarities and uniqueness through market-sharing so they can offer diverse experiences to tourists.

She also noted the need for the cities to reinvent themselves to create distinctions that can attract markets, especially within the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations integration.

Ms. Bautista, for his part, said that the City Council has passed ordinances to support the city’s tourism industry. Key legislation includes creation of tourism clusters, such as Maginhawa Street as art and food hub, Banawe St. as Chinatown, La Loma as lechon district, Sgt. Esguerra Ave. as entertainment center, and the Knowledge District covering the schools in Diliman.

He added that the City is also being promoted as a medical tourism center because of the presence of world-class hospital and wellness facilities, and is home to new central business districts and integrated townships conducive to modern urban living.

In September last year, it launched a fortified tourism campaign billed “QC Welcomes You!” which includes the launch of QCTourism.net, the new official Web site which promotes attractions such as Quezon Memorial Circle, the Quezon City Experience (QCX) interactive museum, historic spots and other special interest sites.

The two-day confab was themed “ASEAN: Enhancing City Tourism Destinations towards Sustainable Development” in line with the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) observance of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

It was organized by the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) and co-organized by the Quezon City Government.