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Monday, November 14, 2005
Tourism forum puts Davao in world map
WHILE the staging of the 25th Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) in Davao City is yet to be held on January 13 to 21 next year, news on the prestigious international event is already putting this emerging megacity in the world tourism map and drawing global attention to its economic boom and bloom.
The Department of Tourism (DOT), now at the hub of brisk international coordination among the throngs of ATF 2006 participants from the 10 member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and giant wholesale travel trade buyers from all over the world, revealed this.
Citing online reservations and inquiries made through the ATF 2006 website (www.atfdavao.com), Tourism Secreatary Ace H. Durano said the event could easily draw over 800 corporate sellers from the Asean region and 430 specialists from key world markets as buyers and media.
"All these would translate to thousands of foreign and local visitors flocking to Davao for the ATF 2006," Durano said stressing the city's tourism profile as a major part of the event's communication portfolio being circulated to its international target market. The information blitz is also stirring international interest in the socio-economic condition in Davao and the rest of Mindanao and might attract investments, not only in tourism ventures, but also in other key industries," DOT Undersecretary Oscar Palabyab said.
Investments in Davao City in terms of total capitalization of business continued to surge from only P62 billion in 2000 to P69 billion in 2001, P80 billion in 2002, P84 billion in 2003, and a whopping P118.5 billion in 2004.
The sharp growth is very evident in the city's tourism, construction, agriculture, and export sectors.
Tourist arrivals based on air passenger traffic and hotel occupancy volume have been consistently increasing since 2000, with the DOT office in Southern Mindanao (Region 11) placing Davao City's total tourism receipts at P5.22 billion in January-June 2005 alone, a 13-percent increase from P4.62 billion generated in the same period last year.
Similarly, Davao City has recorded an unprecedented increase in the value of private building construction that skyrocketed to an even conservative P7.4 billion last year from only P773 million in 2001.
So did exports, shooting up to $993 million in 2004 from $848 million in 2003 and $738 million in 2002, with the balance of trade further widening in Davao City's favor.
"Those figures are making Davao City even more attractive to tourists, might of whom are corporate executives and entrepreneurs on vacation who can't ignore a business opportunity when they see one," sat ATF 2006 Secretary General and Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation executive director Daniel Corpuz.
Davao is the capital of the Southern Mindanao region and one of the world's largest cities in terms of land area, spanning 244,000 hectares.
This sprawling metropolis has emerged as the business, investment, and tourism hub of Southern Philippines.
Citing Davao City as the next pillar of Philippine Tourism, Durano said it was President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's personal choice as the venue of ATF 2006.
Also the gateway and capital of the East Asia Growth Area (Eaga), which comprises Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, Davao City is an ideal tourist destination, with its diverse cultures, beautiful beaches, awesome mountain resorts, fantastic dive spots, and natural riches.
"There is a charm in Davao that is not seen elsewhere and this is captures by the city's slogan 'From Islands to Highlands,'" Durano explained.
The ATF is a cooperative regional effort to promote the Southeast Asian region as one tourist destination and support the individual tourism pursuits of the Asean's 10-member nations - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The nine-day event comprises a travel trade fair that will be staged at the NCCC Exhibition Centre and a series of conferences, business meetings and other functions slated in the city's various first-class international hotels and resorts.
(November 14, 2005 issue)
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