Philipine's Tourism Embarks Upon a Right Path Towards Bright Future

On August 18, the 2022 Asian Mountain Tourism Promotion Conference with the theme of "Amity, Sincerity, Mutual Benefit, Inclusiveness, Cooperation, and Sharing——Jointly Building a New Future for Asian Mountain Tourism" was held in Guiyang, Guizhou Province. Verna Esmeralda C. Buensuceso, OIC-Undersecretary (Deputy Minister) of Philippine Department of Tourism, addressed the opening ceremony.

The following is the full text of the speech:
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, a pleasant day to all of you! From the Philippines we say Mabuhay!

I would like to thank the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of the People’s Republic of China, the Gweyjow People’s Provincial Government, and the International Mountain Tourism Alliance for this opportunity to join the Asian Mountain Tourism Promotion Conference.

No less than the UNWTO recognizes the importance of mountain areas to the livelihood of communities across the globe and has included mountain tourism in its product development portfolio.

The theme of this year’s event which highlights the importance of cooperation to build a new future for Asia’s mountain tourism development is very timely as the world needs to work together to bring the mountain tourism industry back on its feet. With the current market preferences geared towards outdoor recreation, harnessing the potentials of mountain tourism is very opportune and timely.

The development of mountain destinations needs to be innovative, with diversified products and services for a more inclusive and sustainable future. Effective tourism management in mountains can increase household incomes, contribute to landscape and biodiversity conservation, and support resilient and sustainable agri-food systems. Here in the Philippines, complementing mountain tourism is the development of sustainable “agri-tourism” that values, respects and protects the unique natural, cultural and traditional heritage of mountain communities.

We firmly believe that we can be successful in achieving a sustainable future for Asia’s Mountain Tourism if we can promote a sustainable model based on heightened awareness about conservation among small-scale farmers, cooperatives and businesses, as well as among visitors and consumers. Our collective focus must be targeted towards developing global platforms where we can effectively communicate, converge, and collaborate with other global leaders and industry players on how to traverse this new normal tourism landscape, and I am grateful to be able to speak in such kind of platform today.

In the Philippines, there is an emerging preference towards outdoor activities. We also see the strong preference towards nature trips, the outdoors and well-ventilated areas among tourists from all over the world.

This change in preference gives an advantage for the Philippines and for our Asian neighbors, because our countries offer outdoor spaces that are close to nature, from our pristine beaches to our majestic mountains. It also provides a venue to shift towards a more sustainable tourism model, something that is no longer about headcount and short-term economic gains. With countries around the world reopening borders and restarting tourism with more sustainable practices in place, we are confident that we are on the right track towards a better future for tourism.

Adhering to new normal sustainable practices aligned with global standards, we are glad to share with you that after nearly a two-year halt on international tourism, the Philippines reopened its borders for quarantine-free travel of fully-vaccinated foreign travelers in May 2022. To date, we have received more than 1 million tourists, and we believe that this influx of tourists is a result of our unwavering efforts to champion sustainable and safe tourism during the pandemic period. The positive reception towards the resumption of tourism in the Philippines and in neighboring Asian countries provide hope that the world is healing and that we are indeed on the road to recovery.

The Philippines is well known for our white-sand beaches, but our archipelagic nation offers a wide variety of landscapes that cater to every kind of traveler. Every mountain in the Philippines tells a different story about our people and our values, and we cannot wait for you to witness its wonders very soon.

One of our world-renowned mountain destinations, the Ifugao rice terraces, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it is a marvel of ancient agricultural engineering that dates back more than 2000 years. But there is more to it than meets the eye -- the Ifugao rice terraces is also a testament to the core values of the Filipino people – hard work and a strong sense of community, something that we take utmost pride in.

The Philippines is able to preserve this heritage site thru the strong cooperation with the local government units and its surrounding communities. The harmonization of new technology and traditional knowledge, systems and practices means we ensure that the natural beauty of the mountain is maintained, while providing economic benefits to the local community through tourism.

Throughout this three-day event, we are confident that we can further strengthen our cooperation in addressing the issues and concerns not only for the improvement of our mountain tourism offerings but also and more importantly towards the preservation of this priceless tourism asset.

I wish you all a fruitful conference and I personally congratulate the organizers for holding this successful event.

We invite you to come and explore the majestic mountains of the Philippines, very soon. Thank you very much for your kind attention. Mabuhay!