President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vowed to boost the country’s education sector and promote sustainable development to bolster the tourism industry in the Philippines.
The country’s tourism sector is one of the biggest contributors to the local economy, Marcos Jr. said in a speech in Cebu.
Education and sustainability, according to the President, are important aspects in promoting the tourism industry.
“Indeed, education is always going to make any industry better, and certainly tourism is no different. We need to raise the standards and practices in this crucial sector by investing in education, training, and skills upgrading of all the personnel who are working in this industry,” he said.
Marcos Jr. underscored that need to ensure that environment protection and tourism promotion go hand in hand.
“For what good will any tourism effort be if it ends up destroying the local culture and ecology. So, this brings us to another important topic that we also need to address when it comes to developing our respective tourism industries, which is sustainability,” the chief executive said.
“We need to adopt sustainability in our society and economy, and certainly in the sector of tourism. We must go green in the transformation of our tourism products and services as a solution to address climate change, resource preservation, and long-term industry sustainability,” he furthered.
Marcos Jr. also noted that the government is boosting the public-private partnership to pursue reforms that will encourage tourists to “visit, stay, spend, and return” to the Philippines.
These include easing Visa access, enhancing water sanitation and healthcare facilities in major tourist destinations and improving connectivity hubs such as airports.
“By adopting these practices, we create a tourism industry that not only creates responsible visitors but also uplifts the lives of those who are part of that activity.”IMT
