In Photo: SKAL President Robert Lim Joseph (from left), SM’s Hans T Sy, SKAL Awards Committee Chairman and PAL President Jaime Bautista and New World Makati Hotel General Manager Farid Schoucair.

 
A LEADING tourism executive recently urged the government to implement aggressively sustainable tourism to attract more tourists to the Philippines.
 
“Sustainable tourism has a big potential to boost the country’s tourism industry and help enhance economic development,” said Robert Lim Joseph Jr., president of SKAL International Makati.
 
The World Tourism Organization defines it as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.”
 
To ensure that the Philippines can successfully embark on the sustainable tourism road map, Joseph said triumvirate of local government units (LGUs), academe and the stakeholders should join forces in crafting the right programs for the industry. He said the LGUs will have a big role to play as, it would be responsible in implementing the projects of the national government in the barangay, municipal and city levels.
 
Joseph said academe can provide the manpower requirements of the tourism industry, especially students who are studying tourism management and hotel and restaurant courses. Furthermore, he said out-of-school youths and even retired employees who still want to be active can be trained as local tourist guides. “We can generate employment by asking the LGUs to the out-school-youths to act as tourist guides,” Joseph said.
 
Furthermore, he said the local community must be harnessed so they can contribute their efforts and ideas to the program.
 
The provinces of Sorsogon and Bohol are some of the major examples of sustainable tourism in the country. Sorsogon has become famous for its whale shark (butanding) watching. Meanwhile, Bohol has become popular for its dolphin-watching.
 
As far as SKAL is concerned, Joseph said it wants cascade tourism to the barangay level to help the government in the pursuit of inclusive growth. Meanwhile, Joseph stressed the Philippines is now prepared to become a major tourist destination in the Southeast Asia. “Indeed, tourism is growing. Eighty percent of Makati hotels are booked for meetings, international conventions and exhibits,” Joseph said.
 
“The Zobel de Ayalas and the Sys are building their hotels and resorts to capitalize on the tourism boom,” he added.
 
Ayala Land Inc. and Ten Knots Group are currently developing Lio Resorts in El Nido, Palawan, wherein the group plans to build 1,200 hotel rooms. Meanwhile, Tagaytay Highlands and the Pico de Loro in Batangas are some of the projects of the SM Group.
 
SKAL Makati recently cited SM Prime Holding Inc. CEO Hans Sy, Ayala Corp. CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala II and COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala (category: Makati’s Development and Tourism Infrastructure) as this year’s SKAL International Tourism Personality Awards.
 
The award is given yearly to honor individuals who have made a major contribution to the growth of the tourism industry.