Tourism, a high earning industry

Aside from beach tourism, our country can also bank on ecotourism. With this, the country can conserve the environment at the same time cater to tourists.

Boracay, which is among the top beach destinations in the world, will once again open its doors to the public after being rehabilitated by the government. Rehabilitation efforts were spearheaded by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Laws will now have to be followed strictly by the business.

Aside from beach tourism, there is also ecotourism, which focuses on the natural environments. With this form of tourism, the Philippines was able to conserve its environment while catering to the influx of tourists visiting the country.

The nature tour or leisure travel is banking on ecotourism to promote the host country’s protected nature areas. Ecotourism also allows tourists to get acquainted with the indigenous peoples of the country. It is like shooting two birds with one stone -- meeting the needs of the tourists and the host regions while protecting the environment and enhancing opportunities for the future.

With ecotourism, tour operators are able to offer a varity of outdoor activities to tourists, which include mountain trekking and hiking, wilderness exploration, nature photography, wildlife viewing, bird watching, spelunking, river rafting, scuba diving, camping, and other ecological attractions and activities.

All of these activities entail expenses on the side of the tourist contributing to the economy of the host country.

Recently, I was a guest lecturer in the orientation courses of the Department of Tourism for future tour guides in Manila. Experts on the country’s history, foreign languages, dialects of local country, government and laws, hotel accomodations, outdoor camping in tents, or being guests in Filipino homes showing Filipino hospitality are among the topics discussed. Here, I discussed the flora and fauna of the Philippines.

“We are actually considering an option of having durian as part of the agricultural produce to be exported in the Korean market.”

South Korean ambassador to the Philippines HAN DONG-MAN Ecotourism also allows tourists to get acquainted with the indigenous peoples of the country. It is like shooting two birds with one stone -- meeting the needs of the tourists and the host regions while protecting the environment and enhancing opportunities for the future.