Santa Rosa, Laguna – Enchanted Kingdom opened its gates early last May 22 for the Luzon Conference and Consultative Meeting of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines. The Tourism Congress is a private sector consultative body tasked to assist the government in the development, implementation, and coordination of Philippine tourism policy. National Competitiveness Council (NCC) Private Sector Co-Chairman Guillermo M. Luz served as one of the guest speakers in the event, following presentations from the Department of Tourism (DOT).

DOT Undersecretary Daniel Corpuz reported on the positive performance of the industry based on increasing international visitor arrivals, domestic travellers, and visitor expenditures, to name a few. He also described some of the projects under development and challenges faced by the industry, particularly with limited airports and services. Director Maria Rica Bueno of the Office of Tourism Standards and Regulations also gave an update on the accreditation procedures and training opportunities for interested investors, professionals, and laborers.

In his speech, Mr. Luz talked about the importance of keeping a competitive spirit not only to be at par with our ASEAN neighbours but also to promote inclusive growth. He presented the country’s rankings on the many global competitiveness indices tracked by the NCC and further discussed the details of the 2013 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report by the World Economic Forum. The Philippines was the most improved country in the ASEAN region, jumping from 94th to 82nd out of 140.

Mr. Luz also challenged the stakeholders from the travel and tourism industry to take the country’s hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in 2015 as an opportunity to showcase the best of the Philippines. He also gave the audience a preview of the redesign of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as an example of the many things that can be accomplished through a united effort from both the public and private sectors. By linking tourism development plans across regions and sectors, the Philippines can win over the domestic market and even gain worldwide acclaim.

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