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Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Italians to help promote Cebu, to give aid to local deaf center
The country’s food, beaches and the people’s warm and friendly attitude will lure Italian tourists, an official of the Italiani Associati Cebu Inc. (IAC) said yesterday.
“The country should make use of its potentials of tapping and attracting more Italian and other European tourists,” IAC president Walter Finzi de Vita told Sun.Star Cebu.
The country’s beaches are “better” than those in Thailand, he noted.
“Filipinos even speak better English. Your bea-ches are more beautiful. But how come Thailand’s tourism industry is way bigger than the Philippines’?” he said.
He noted that accessibility is one challenge in attracting European tourists due to the “lack or shortage” of flights from the country to Europe.
History
IAC is an organization of Italians in Cebu that seeks to promote Italian businesses, tourism, culture and relationship with various sectors in the country.
De Vita said Italy and Philippines have a long history.
He said Italian chronicler Antonio Pigafetta, Ferdinand Magellan’s second official in command, was the “first Italian tourist” who set foot in Cebu.
“We would like to maintain our warm rapport with the locals,” he said.
Pigafetta’s monument, which stands on the Plaza Independencia, speaks of Italian presence in the city, he said.
He added that the Italian community in Cebu is keen on helping promote the city and the country more.
He said Italian businesses and investments in the country can grow “a hundred times more” and Italian tourists will increase by promoting the country in Italy.
De Vita also revealed that IAC solicited some P1 million worth of 30 pieces of hearing appliances from multinational company, Amplifon Italia Spa, as part of its “humanitarian” efforts.
The hearing-impaired indigent children at the Mission for the Deaf Center in Banilad, Cebu City will benefit from the donation, he said.
The Mission for the Deaf was first opened in Italy and was brought to Cebu some 20 years ago. (ALC)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 2, 2006 issue)
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