On 27 November, Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Secretary of Philippines Department of Tourism, delivered a keynote speech at the Culture, Education, and Tourism Development Forum of the Asia Youth Leaders Forum 2021.

The full speech is as below.

Good day to all the esteemed dignitaries, diplomats and leaders from all over Asia. It is an honor to be partof the panel on culture, tourism, and sports in this Asia Youth Leaders Forum 2021.

During the course of the pandemic, the Philippines Department of Tourism has realigned its goals andpivoted to domestic tourism as a response to thechallenges met by the tourism industry. From ourregional perspective, Asia Pacific saw an 84% decrease in international arrivals in 2020, higher than the drops experienced in other parts of the world. These numbers represent millions of jobs lost and thousands of businesses that have been forced to cease operations. Because of the interdependent nature of the industry, these grim figures translated to devastating effects on communities, families, and individuals.

The Department of Tourism’s goal has been to revive the industry in an inclusive, sustainable, and responsible manner. Tourism in the New Normal can no longer be just about headcount and short-term economic gains. 
Our reformulated National Tourism Development Plan for 2016-2022 aims to position the Philippines as a “safe, fun, and competitive destination” rooted in strong partnerships with communities and visitors. To do this, we are developing and marketing a portfolio of products that harness our country’s natural strengths to benefit the present and future tourism destination. 

Our regional offices have been developing and redefining their tourism circuits in response to the changing needs of the traveler. From 2020 up to the present, more than 40 tourism circuits around the country have been validated, from food crawls and bike trails to heritage tours and historical caravans. More than 70 circuits are in the pipeline for development, including the identification of new dive destinations, mapping out pilgrimage tours, enhancing Halal and Muslim-friendly tourism, and offering wellness workation programs.

We have also been aggressively pushing for vaccination among our tourism workers in key destinations, and we have already reached more than70% of active tourism workers around the country. In the National Capital Region, we have vaccination rateof 99.79%, including hotel frontliners and restaurant staff. Popular destinations like Boracay Island, Baguio City, and Coron, San Vicente, Palawan have already vaccinated 100% of their targeted tourism workers. We believe that a vaccinated population is only truly protected when we maintain compliance with the minimum health and safety guidelines, and we continue to enforce mask wearing and physical distancing even as travel restrictions have eased.

In recognition of the Philippines’ efforts to align with global standards for health, safety, and hygiene, we have been awarded the Safe Travels Stamp by the World Travel and Tourism Council in September of2020. The Safe Travels Stamp enables tourists to recognize destinations that meet international standards for health and safety. Today, we have issued the Safe Travels Stamp to three local destinations, namely Boracay, Baguio City, and Ilocos Norte, and to more than 217 accommodation establishments across the country.

Last week, we announced that the Philippines will be opening its borders for foreign tourists from the greenlist soon. This will greatly help in our recovery efforts, increasing tourist arrivals and receipts among others. But more importantly, this will boost traveler confidence, which will inspire more people to travel to and within the country, thus sustaining the industry.

With the aim of upskilling tourism workers and equipping them to meet the demands of the evolving workplace, the DOT along with private sector partners have been holding online training that enhance tourism frontliners’ knowledge on safety protocols, environmentally friendly practices, and barrier-free tourism. 

The pandemic’s acceleration of the adoption of digital technology has created many opportunities for entrepreneurs, but it also leaves a big chance for marginalized groups to get left behind by this shift. If our tourism industry is to be truly inclusive, then everyone should be able to participate in the digital transformation of the tourism sector. MSMEs are the backbone of our economy, yet the majority of them are not equipped for digital integration. In order to help them grow, we provide support by introducing them to e-commerce and fintech basics. 

The tourism industry has a major role to play in recovery and growth of the national economy, and while the pandemic has given us unparalleled challenges, it has also given tourism practitioners a chance to reframe and reimagine a tourism industry that is more responsible and sustainable, one that puts its people first and makes sure no one is left behind. 

Thank you very much. Please stay safe and mabuhay.