Palace hopes to meet 7M target new jobs in tourism sector by 2016

MANILA -- Malacanang expressed hope that the government could achieve the Department of Tourism's (DOT) projection of seven million new jobs to be created in the tourism industry by 2016.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, in a radio interview over dzRB Radyo, said the tourism sector is one of the areas being considered to generate high employment apart from manufacturing sector.

"Tourism and agribusiness are among the sectors that our cluster, economic cluster, is looking at to generate high employment. So that is a good news," she said, reiterating what President Benigno Aquino III has always said that for every tourist that comes to the Philippines, jobs are being created.

More tourists arriving in the country means jobs for porters, drivers, and souvenir item vendors and so on, Valte said. "It really generates jobs. Hopefully we could attain that target," she added.

Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. earlier said he is confident that the successful implementation of the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) will create millions of new jobs by 2016.

The DOT unveiled last year the P265-billion program aimed at achieving 10 million international tourist arrivals by the end of the Aquino administration in 2016.

The government will work with the private sector through the public-private partnership (PPP) to realize the NTDP. Under PPP, investments will be poured to build new hotels, shopping malls, leisure and entertainment facilities, resorts, health and wellness as well as cruise and transport facilities.

The DOT launched last year its "It's More Fun in the Philippines" tourism campaign to achieve its vision of attracting more tourists to come to the Philippines.

In a latest development, the country is hosting this week the travel tour expo spearheaded by the Philippine Travel Agencies Association. (SDR/Sunnex)