Time was when discussions on the economic performance of the country were held among a small group of people, often in the halls of research institutions, government agencies or the academe, and entered the business pages from time to time for the public to partake in. With social media enabling the sharing of such information, access to this information and that of our similarly situated ASEAN neighbors is also increasing.

Of late, it seems very popular to compare our country’s tourism arrivals with some of our ASEAN neighbors. Whatever gaps between our performance and that of the others is fodder for discussion in the now ubiquitous and pervasive platform called social media.

Yet the plain truth about our tourism numbers is that the highest number of foreign tourists to ever arrive at our shores was 8.62 million individuals, achieved in the pre-pandemic year of 2019, a substantial 15.25 percent increase from 2018’s 7.16 million arrivals. That such numbers have been achieved in the past ought to inspire hope among us that the same results can be met again and even surpassed. What needs to be done then?

The first is to collaborate with local governments. It must be noted that tourism is a devolved function under the local government code. This means efforts at developing tourist products and promotions will require local government initiatives in cooperation with the Department of Tourism (DOT). Local business groups will need to collaborate with local government units to push tourism growth in their localities.

I am sure there are many other recommendations that can be done in the context of local governments and maybe even at the regional level with the DOT Regional Office and local tourism officers. The participation of tourism stakeholders such as hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies is vital to carefully assess or reassess tourism potentials of a given locality. Local tourism summits can be organized to identify concerns to come up with workable solutions. I have participated in some of these years ago and have seen how the areas where these were held were transformed into tourism powerhouses. The commitment of stakeholders is crucial to seeing the success of any plans for tourism.

Already, our business groups, which operate the enterprises and stand to gain from the entry of tourists, have begun to offer ways forward. In Jan. 11 Manila Bulletin article, the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce has signified its intention to support the tourism industry through reforms via a ‘blueprint” that includes an “ASEAN-competitive” visa rules and increased connectivity, among others.

As I wrote in last week’s column, tourism is a low-hanging fruit given the many beautiful and culturally diverse attractions we have. We also have a fascinating history that makes it interesting for tourists to probe these elements more thoroughly, and therefore, stay longer to uncover these parts of our country and culture. Tourism creates jobs. It boosts incomes for local farms and small businesses that supply tourism enterprises. We all must work together to boost tourism.

Alex Eala has done it again

The recent improvement in the WTA rankings of our young tennis player, Alex Eala, ought to bring more attention to the Philippines. Moreover, hosting tennis events such as the Philippine Women’s Open this year will also bring a large international audience to the country. Such sporting events create opportunities for sports tourism, another way to bring tourists into the country.