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Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Davao City, moving forward, onward
By Ana Felicia Dulay
HOW do we sell Davao City or the whole Davao province to the rest of the country and the world when nothing good is written about the place?
This perhaps is the dilemma the tourism industry is facing after the twin bombings that hit Davao City five months ago.
"Takot sila sa Davao City (They're afraid of Davao City)," Id Acaylar, City Tourism Office chief said regarding the outsiders' view of the city and the whole island for that matter.
He said non-Dabawenyoos feel they are endangering their lives by visiting the city.
Acaylar admitted gathering national corporate sponsors for the recently completed Kadayawan Festival was not a breeze. He said misconceptions about Davao City abound. And convincing tourists poses a challenge.
"With the Kadayawan Festival, we were able to change that perception," he said. The success of the celebration showed the whole world that Davao City is bouncing back.
He admits that after the bombing, the tourism industry is not as exciting as it was then. As of the present, hotel occupancy rates are from 85 to 88 percent, compared to the all-time high of 95 to 97 percent before tragedy stuck.
Acaylar insists that we must explain to outsiders that the problem was not created by Dabawenyos but by "intruders".
He said tourists who are concerned of their safety must realize that the police and people have become vigilant as a result of the bombings.
Acaylar boasts that during the Kadayawan Celebration, most local hotels were fully-booke, proving that tourists are coming in. He remains optimistic that Davao City will rise out of the present slump "in about a year's time."
Sonia Garcia, the Department of Tourism (DOT) regional director said the tourism industry was affected only for a couple of weeks after the bombing. "Of course there were a lot of cancellations then," she said. "Now it is back to normal."
She said the series of international events such as the Bimp-Eaga Senior Officials Meeting (SOM), Mindanao Trade Expo and, Mindano Travel and the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) conference, are evidences that Davao City has indeed bounced back.
Garcia said they are developing Davao City as a convention hub. "We need to enhance and improve our facilities, though," she said.
At present, the Davao Convention and Trade Center and the Central Bank of the Philippines are two of the foremost facilities for trade exhibits. She said she is convincing the private sector, especially mall owners to strengthen and improve its convention facilities. Garcia said an ideal convention facility is one that can accommodate up to 5,000 participants or double the biggest facility Davao City has as of the present.
Another selling point for the whole province, both tourism officials agree, is the abundant natural wonders of our provinces.
"When I went to Camiguin Island, I fell in love with their hot springs. But I discovered the one we have in Compostela Valley, na mas maganda," Acaylar said.
"The Mt. Apo alone is a marvel in eco-tourism," Garcia said eagerly. She said the five jump points to the famous peak, the Malagos, Eden, Baracatan, Sibulan trail and Kapatagan, are all marvels of nature.
"We also want to project to the world that we are ecologically-aware and responsible," she said. Garcia said the recent discovery of hatchlings on the shores of Punta Dumalag has brought to fore that Davao Gulf is teeming with wild life and that eco-tourism is one of our strengths.
Acaylar for his part, spoke of the "Sea to See" tour of the Coastal Resource Management Program, a three-day tour of different attempts of the community to safeguard our coastal resorts.
He said the last leg of the tour in Mati, Davao Oriental is an exemplary demonstration of the interaction "between priests and imams" to save the coastal resorts of the province.
"This proves that religion is not a hindrance in saving the coastal resources," he said.
All in all, Dabawenyos have hurdled the tragic incidents of the past. Garcia said compared to other places, we know what to expect.
"We know how to deal with it, since we have always lived on the edge. We've been there, done that and everything," she said.
Garcia acknowledged the resilience of Dabawenyos which Acaylar mirrors. "Ten years ago, I said I want to die and be cremated here, I still can say the same today," he said.
"Accepting what happened has helped us move on," Garcia concluded. Indeed we have, look around and find out how the tourism industry bounced back.
(September 10, 2003 issue)
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