CITY OF KORONADAL — Some 160 tourism stakeholders composed of tourism-oriented establishments (TOEs), tourism-related establishments (TREs) and City and Municipal Tourism Officers and Designates attended the whole-day General Assembly spearheaded by the Arts, Culture, Tourism and Museum (ACTM) Development and Promotions Unit held recently at Viajera Hotel and Resto, this city.
ACTM Senior Tourism Operations Officer Argie Ryan Asaria first presented the overview of the province’s Programs, Projects and Activities (PPAs) for 2021 which the office crafted since he assumed as ACTM head last September 2020.
The General Assembly, the first conducted this year, aims to present to the PPAs for Arts, Culture, Tourism Promotions and Marketing and Research, Planning and Product Development.
The Arts and Culture Development program presented by Anna Liz Cabrido highlighted the Cultural Asset Mapping (CAM) Program conducted in different LGUs in the province and presented its importance in tourism development. South Cotabato’s Culture and the Arts, Adventure and Nature (CAN) is a vehicle in local development, Cabrido added,
Ron Joar Suelo of the promotions and marketing section tackled the results of the tourism caravan conducted in Lake Sebu, wherein site visits were undertaken by the staff. Potential sites for accreditation, Suelo stressed, will be submitted to the Department of Tourism 12. The on-going tourism caravan and the upcoming Capability Seminar on Filipino Brand of Service were also presented.
Richie Matunding presented the tourist arrival for 2020 and the first 2 months of the year, in which he enjoined city and municipal tourism officers and designate to completely and accurately submit their tourist arrival report on time. STOO Argie Ryan Asaria in his earlier messag said that tourism arrival is an indicator if the tourism industry in the locality is improving, and from thereon, he encouraged each LGU to strategize on what steps will be taken to further improve their tourism program.
Tboli Municipal Tourism Officer Rodel Hilado presented the best tourism practices on of his town and of which he stressed that he is willing to help LGUs who will asked for assistance on tourism management.
Meanwhile, Provincial Tourism Council of South Cotabato (PTCSC) President Johnnie Victor Ferrer, Mall of Ace Centerpoint Marketing and Leasing Manager, presented the State of the Tourism Industry under the New Normal in the province. The CoViD-19 pandemic, Ferrer confirmed, badly and hardly hit the province particularly tourism accommodation establishments, sites and destinations and other tourism allied services. But the good news, he added, is that there are new tourism sites and destinations being opened which indicate that the tourism is still alive and that the industry is resilient amidst the test of times.
Special Assistant to the Governor Atty. Cecil Diel and Board Member Glyzel Mariano Trabado, SP Committee Chair on Tourism, Culture and the Arts, likewise graced the affair and delivered their respective message.
After te stakeholder’s forum, the PTCSC conducted their meeting with Atty Diel and BM Trabado in attendance.
