Press Release
December 6, 2007

ANGARA TO DOT: STRENGTHEN LOCAL TOURISM PROMOTION

Senator Edgardo J. Angara calls for the disaggregation of the P96.452 million Department of Tourism budget for domestic promotion "to further strengthen local tourism" during the budget presentation in the Senate.

"There are so many items under the domestic tourism promotion budget and some of them are overlapping in thrusts. We need to rationalize these different projects to redirect our focus," said Angara , chair of the Senate Subcommittee C on Finance.

Prior to the amendments on the budget, there were six items under domestic tourism promotion: Consumer promotions, Promotion of special events, Festival promotion, Promotion of travel shows, Biyahe Na! campaign, and Regional domestic promotions.

With the changes submitted, the items within the budget are cut down into three�Special Promotional Projects which covers special events and festival promotions; Regional Offices Promotional Activities; and Biyahe Na! Domestic Promotion for travel shows and Biyahe Na! campaigns.

"This rationalization of projects will allow us to focus our strategy in promoting local tourism," Angara pointed out.

According to international economists, tourism will be the world's largest industry. To date, Philippine domestic tourism industry is pegged at 8 to 10 million tourists every year.

"Other than financial gains, tourism is the only industry that can use our assets�culture, history and natural environment�in a sustainable manner," said the Senator.

With this, "our tourism policy must be anchored on the promotion of our historical and cultural heritage."

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