Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio on Friday urged tourism stakeholders to increase investments in sector-specific tourism amenities to diversify the country’s opportunities and potentially increase the revenue streams in the industry.
Duterte-Carpio made the statement before tourism trailblazers at the Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) Conference 2023 Closing Ceremony at The Tent, Azuela Cove on Friday night.
The MICE industry creates employment, helps build a reputation for the country and the venue, and nurtures many business opportunities and investments. The industry improves competitive destinations because MICE events and activities are often held in locations with safety and security.
“I enjoin our tourism stakeholders to work with other industry leaders to invest in medical tourism, heritage tourism, retirement havens, entertainment spots, open-space recreation, and more community-based travel destinations,” Duterte-Carpio said.
“Let us work together to revitalize our tourism sector with diverse packages, incentives, and strategic investments with a focus on service quality, public health, transportation, and most of all, enriching the immersive experience of our visitors,” she added.
When MICECON was held in Davao City ten years ago, the city’s standing as a significant player and desirable destination for conventions and exhibits was reinforced.
Duterte-Carpio also cited how Davao City is home to 50 MICE facilities, with accommodations able to meet the growing demand for guest lodgings, Halal food offerings to diverse Asian and continental cuisine, among others.
“For Davao City, being the host of this year’s MICECON 2023 is an opportunity to showcase one of the tourism gateways in Mindanao,” the city’s former mayor said.
“Today, as a proud Dabawenya and Mindanawon, I can say Davao City and the whole of Mindanao continue to hold so much promise,” Duterte-Carpio added.
The Vice President also said that she is honored and proud that Davao City is considered as one of the safest cities in the world, offering visitors a complete tourism experience through the convergence of culture, nature, and adventure.
Duterte-Carpio also lauded the Department of Tourism for boosting domestic tourism by opening “Tourism Circuits” and “Green Corridors” such as Davao, Clark, Bohol, and Puerto Princesa City.
“I also want to commend our tourism industry players for their quick thinking, and for developing carefully curated, immersive, and inclusive travel packages – unique experiences that cater to foodies, faith, fitness, sports, and ecotourism enthusiasts,” she said.
Duterte-Carpio also cited the Marcos administration’s eight-point socio-economic agenda that will focus on improving food security, transportation, health care, education, and social services while reducing energy costs, practicing sound fiscal management, and enhancing bureaucratic efficiency.
She said a restabilized tourism industry will enable robust economic growth, increase the number of middle-income Filipinos, reduce poverty incidence to 9 percent, and elevate the Philippines as an upper-middle-class economy.
“I look forward to the reemergence of a strong tourism sector in the country,” Duterte-Carpio said.