A TOURISM official urged Cebu stakeholders to further develop nature-based products while observing the principles of sustainable tourism.
“Cebu is a beautiful resort destination and there is still room to grow,” said Hulya Aslantas, world president of Skal International Association of Travel and Tourism Professionals.
Aslantas met with some local tourism industry stakeholders yesterday at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa.
She said Cebu’s advantage lies in its leisure and nature-based tourism sites and activities, like beaches, that the province can tap to attract more tourists.
“The pristine waters, the fishes, corals...these are the things the world wants to see. (Many) people are tired of modernity and the city pace of life. Many people want to be with nature,” she added.
Aslantas pointed out, though, that tourism infrastructure growth in Cebu should be “in harmony with the environment, physically, socially and culturally” while maintaining the capacity to attract more tourists.
“Sustainable tourism (involves) building without destroying the environment, without changing the lifestyle of the (local) people, and being able to bridge cultures. It is our (advocacy),” she said in a press conference.
As the concept of sustainable tourism has been around in the past 10 years, Aslantas said more and more hotels have learned to increase their profits while protecting the environment.
Sustainable tourism involves strategies or measures to protect the environment and the culture of the host community. It ensures that the tourism development is a positive experience for the locals, tourism players and tourists.
“Tourists of today are more conscious to go to places where sustainable tourism is (observed). They wish to travel in a sustainable and responsible way,” Aslantas said.
Aslantas visited the Philippines on the invitation of Skal International Cebu president Charles Lim.
Skal Internatonal is an organization of tourism professionals coming from the travel and tourism industry, including hotels, airlines, travel media, shipping, theme parks, car rentals, hospitality academe and national tourism offices.
Formed in 1934, it now has more than 20,000 members in 90 countries. Skal International Cebu chapter has 34 members.
Source: The Sunstar Daily Cebu
