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LOCAL communities need to be equipped with good skills and basic amenities for them to “personally feel” the economic effects of tourism in the countryside.
For this to happen, there has to be a concerted and united effort among the Department of Tourism (DOT), local government units and the communities themselves, said Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano.
While Cebu is still in the sunrise stage of developing its adventure tourism packages, Durano said more opportunities are still open for local players.
“There are three key ingredients in adventure tourism. It has to be nature-based. There must be some activity involved whether soft or extreme. It should have the authentic experience with the community” said Durano.
Adventure tourism is currently being promoted by the DOT, which has tagged the Philippines as an exciting outdoor destination.
Durano said community involvement plays a big role in creating a genuine experience among foreign tourists.
“It is part of adventure not to make it too 'sanitize' meaning dili kinahanglan nga straight gyud ang English (you don't need people who speak straight English). There should be an authentic experience with the locals),” he noted.
Since adventure tourism is not capital-intensive, Durano said what needs to be done is to organize the communities and make them aware of the benefits tourism can give them.
“We need the communities because they are the ones who know the place. The biggest support (comes from them) and that is the protection of our natural environment,” he said.
Palawan is more developed in terms of adventure tourism sites, said Durano.
Aside from its pristine beaches and rich forests, the province is also home to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a world heritage site declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in December 1999.
Mountain Travel Sobek and Wilderness Travel, two international tour operators, have also included Palawan in their list of high-end adventure travel destinations.
In Cebu, island hopping and sightseeing tours are some of the soft, adventure tourism activities being offered.
Caving, spelunking and trekking are not yet that developed although there are potential sites in Toledo City and Alegria town, said Durano.
“There are soft and extreme adventure tourism activities. Cebu is just in the tip What we have tapped is more on the soft (activities). There's still a lot that we haven't maximized,” he said.
Meanwhile, Durano said Alegria and Olango Island are part of the the international campaigns of DOT to promote birdwatching in the Philippines.
The yellow-chested peaker, a rare bird which has not been photographed, is said to be found in Alegria.
Other developments in the tourism industry include positioning Cebu as a wedding destination in Asia, and developing the country's culinary tourism sub-brand. /Reporter Cris Evert B. Lato
