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Friday, December 23, 2005
Readying for ATF: Something different this Christmas
By Antonio M. Ajero
WHEN Dabawenyos of today become old and gray, they will probably remember this particular Christmas for a reason different from other Christmases. This is the Christmas when many Dabawenyos are agog over a forthcoming historic event to unfold 13-21 January, the 25th staging of the Asean Tourism Forum.
What is the ATF?
The biggest annual tourism event in the Asean region, the ATF is a cooperative regional effort to promote Asean region as one tourist destination involving 10 members countries.
Thus, it is the first and only event in Mindanao ever participated in by 10 countries--Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maynmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
It is to be attended by some 3,000 top industry policy makers, practitioners and suppliers of Asean-based tourism products and services in the Philippines and neighboring Asean countries. The event includes dialogues among tourism government bodies and private sector organizations as well as travel exchange (Travex) among Asean sellers and international products from major travel markets.
Each of the ATF participant is expected to spend a minimum of 90 US dollars a day. With a minimum of 2,000 delegates, we are looking at close to P90 million of money in circulation in Davao City during the nine-day gathering.
With barely three weeks to D-Day, there is frenetic preparation for the event. In the vortex of the readying activities is of course Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, head of the Davao Host Council.
Mayor Rody is on top of 20 committees--on security, traffic management, beautification and cleanliness, information media, ways and means, special and cultural activities, accommodations, land transportation, protocol, health services, building and infrastructure, hosted tours, finance, food, trainings, secretariat, communications, programs and liaisons, press accreditation and tours consortium.
Hundreds of warm bodies under these committees have had endless meetings, planning, brainstorming, trainings, security dry runs and what-have-you mostly during the Christmas season to see to it that no foul-ups happen during the actual hosting.
Even the fractious media industry is deeply involved in the preparations and coverage of the ATF, conscious of the countless benefits that would go to the city and the people, including those in the adjoining cities and provinces.
Key media players, including those in the business of molding public opinion through editorials, columns and commentaries, have been meeting how they can help motivate Dabawenyos to contribute their share in making the extravaganza a success.
"The ATF will definitely bolster Davao's image as a safe and attractive destination in the region," says Ms Patmei Bello Ruivivar, who as Mayor Duterte's chief of staff and former media person, heads the information committee.
Patmei is excited about the international positive exposure of Davao City as tourist spot especially since media outlets such as CNN and Earth TV will cover the event.
Even Mayor Roger Antalan of the neighboring Island Garden City of Samal, where most of the ATF's closed-door sessions of tourism ministers are scheduled, is bullish about the event.
"The ATF is an opportunity to showcase the Island Garden City of Samal as a major tourist destination. Those who will be joining the ATF will see for themselves why Igacos is called Isla nga Maanyag, different from other island destinations," Mayor Antalan said.
By New Year's Day, all the city's preparations for ATF, including the sniff dogs of Security, shall have been in place--hotel rooms for buyers, foreign media, local media, tourism ministers, VIPs, sellers, among others shall have been blocked off; volunteers organized and trained, the parks and other public places spruced up; tour guides trained; consortiums formed; tour packages created; mock tours conducted; and security scenarios for land and sea transfers mapped out, among others.
The world's economists pin so much hope in international tourism as this millennium's sunshine industry good for all countries.
Come to think of it, tourism is not totally irrelevant to the Christmas story as we know.
If tourism was fully developed in Nazareth when Joseph and his pregnant wife, Mary, were looking for a suitable place to stay that cold night, they could have been accommodated in a cozy room with all the amenities of a modern-day hotel, instead of being repaired to the loneliness of an unkempt stable.
After birth, the little Jesus could have been placed inside a well-equipped nursery room, if not roomed in with Mama Mary inside an air-conditioned private ward of a five-star hospital instead of the lowly manger. Then, the first Christmas story could have been much different from what has been told and retold during the last more than 2,000 years.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (December 23, 2005 issue)
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