The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) have strengthened their working partnership to further improve internet connectivity in 94 identified tourist destinations across the country.
DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the collaboration with the DICT is part of their goal to fully digitize all manner of tourist transactions and eventually entice more tourists, both foreign and local.
“Our push for digitalization and connectivity will allow Philippine tourism to finally take a primary role in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and the globe. This will propel us to even greater numbers than we have already achieved thus far,” said Frasco.
“Truly, there is no innovative tourism program that does not involve internet communications technology and that is why this convergence expands through many aspects of tourism development,” she added.
The DOT has identified 94 tourist destinations that will be part of the digitalization project with the DICT.
Aside from the tourist magnets of Boracay, Palawan, Cebu, Bohol, and Siargao, other emerging and lesser-known destinations will be their priority, according to Frasco.
“This itself fulfills another objective under the Marcos administration for tourism and that is to equalize tourism promotion and development because not only will it give opportunities for key destinations to continue to open for development. But also allows even the most far-flung tourist destinations and local government units opportunities to be heralded to the world as a viable tourism destination,” said Frasco.
For his part, DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy emphasized the significance of the partnership project with the DOT as he envisioned high penetration internet connectivity, whether fiber optics or satellites that need to be installed.
“From the DICT perspective, we want to help all of the departments, all of the departments to be utilized, get the services out in a more effective, more efficient, less redundant manner,” said Uy.