By
Michael Vincent D. Cajulao
ZAMBOANGA CITY –
Department of Tourism (DOT) Assistant Secretary Arturo P. Boncato Jr. urged all
tourism stakeholders in Zamboanga Peninsula not to let negative things hurt the
industry.
This
was the gist of his message during the 1st Regional Tourism Summit
held here yesterday, as he pushed for positive information dissemination to
counter the negative information about the place.
“Do
not let our negative voice be louder than our positive voice. Let our positive
voice ring loudest so that when they hear something negative it will be very,
very negligible,” Asec. Boncato said.
Boncato
said this attitude may just be the right solution to Mindanao’s negative image
among tourists.
“Let’
us focus on the things that we have that the world doesn’t know yet. It’s all
about positive branding,” he asserted.
Asec.
Art, as he prefers to be called, hinted that a very big opportunity for tourism
boom is being presented to Mindanao and that Mindanaoans must stand together
and deliver a strong message to the market.
“Our
country is now on a massive recovery and rehabilitation efforts due to the
natural calamities that hit Visayas. Mindanao could be one of the most
beautiful destinations in the Philippines, and I can declare right now that
Mindanao should be the last frontier of Philippine tourism as it is not
developed yet,” the youthful official from Davao City said.
He
said tourism industry is in one of the better times in the country as national
economy remains resilient.
“Things
are doing very well for the tourism industry. We are happy to say that tourism
has contributed to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) around 5 or 5.5 percent of
our GDP. And it is still the top four dollar earning industry in the country
today,” Boncato pointed out.
Boncato
revealed that as of September this year, over 3 million foreign tourists have
already visited the country, and he is optimistic that the country will meet
its target of 5.5 million tourist arrivals this year. (PIA9)