Government, stakeholders’ cooperation vital for tourism development – travel agency

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government and private tourism stakeholders should keep cooperating to promote and develop the country’s tourism industry, according to travel agency Rajah Travel.

At a media briefing in Makati City yesterday, Rajah Travel founder Alejandra Clemente noted that local government units should entice more investments in tourism, which would provide more employment and discourage the export of manpower.

“We should harness tourism as an engine of growth for the improvement of Filipinos’ lives, so they will not be overseas Filipino workers all their lives,” Clemente said.

Their agency’s Tourism Knowledge Center, she said, could help the Department of Tourism (DOT) “implement programs, especially in the area of development and promotion.”

Rajah Travel’s programs include an online data repository, which collects statistics on tourist arrivals and their average spending in popular spots like Palawan and Bohol.

The data could be shared with international groups and students doing tourism-related research.

Rajah Travel president Aileen Clemente noted that their knowledge center helped craft the DOT’s Philippine Tourism Human Capital Development Plan 2021-2025.

The center also has a “Travel Academy” that offers immersion for tourism and hospitality students.

The agency also created the “Palawan Liberation” tourist circuit in 2015.

Meanwhile, the DOT has partnered with the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to promote its Filipino Brand of Service Excellence training program, according to DOT Office of Industry Manpower Development acting director Arlene Alipio.