THE Davao Tourism Association (Data) is gearing for the first Davao Tourism Conference (TCON) 2017 slated on September 22 at the Pinnacle Hotel and Suites in Davao City.
With the theme: "Creating the Future of Davao Tourism," Data president Gatchi Gatchalian said the theme describes and summarizes the objective of the conference.
TCON, Gatchalian said, aims to unite tourism stakeholders towards a solid marketing framework for Davao City as the main tourism hub and also the gateway to the entire Davao Region under its "Sulong Davao Turismo" campaign.
Gatchalian, during their first Sulong Davao Turismo Pre-Conference with tourism stakeholders held at the Marco Polo Hotel yesterday, said the Sulong Davao is a proactive campaign.
He added that the campaign is not just a battlecry pushing for Davao tourism forward, but also a proposed campaign for the tourism stakeholders to be reminded of what they want to happen and to work as one.
"I proposed this campaign to rally all tourism stakeholders to push harder for a better Davao Tourism tomorrow, not politicize but synchronize, not passive but proactive, and most importantly, not divided but unified," Gatchalian said.
As Data president and a tourism stakeholder, Gatchalian said he focuses on helping Davao tourism to move forward.
The Davao tourism sector has experienced a period of dramatic success and equal low periods with the night market bombing and Martial Law declaration, which caused a decrease in hotel and airline bookings since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed post.
Gatchalian said the tourism stakeholders in Davao, such as restaurants, hotels and travel agencies, are concerned that the setbacks may persist.
"With this, the desire to obtain sustained growth may not happen, forcing them to either nullify their expansion plans, or at worst, close down some of their operations. There is a need to manage and push growth despite the uncertainties," Gatchalian said.
He added that with the continued rise in tourism arrivals in the Philippines and opening of new markets, Davao's stakeholders may need to build a concerted effort to promote the region as a destination to capitalize on government's own programs and the heightened interest in the city.
Gatchalian said going by the example of successes in Cebu and Bohol, there is a need to unify and harness stakeholder efforts and identify areas where partnerships with government can help achieve common goals of sustained business growth.
Through a one-day comprehensive TCON, the delegates during this event will be able to develop a tourism vision for Davao, review the strengths and opportunities of the Davao as a destination, and identify and build concrete program in partnership with government and other organizations to push Davao Tourism under the Sulong Davao Turismo.
"We want the tourism stakeholders to challenge the segments that will happen on that day for the better results," Gatchalian said.
Under the Sulong Davao Turismo campaign is a proposed six-point agenda that will serve as basis of the program for TCON 2017. The agenda includes marketing, product development, service, financing, government relations and industry support.
Gatchalian said that they hope tourism stakeholders will succeed in promoting Davao. Data also unveiled Thursday, August 24, its "Promote Promote Promote" Program for Davao.
Davao City Tourism officer Gene Rose Tecson, meanwhile, said the staging of the TCON is the perfect time with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority that will be funding their Tourism Master Plan.
Lemuel Ortonio, head of the Davao City Investment Promotion Center, assured that their office will give its full support to the City Tourism Operations Office and that he is glad with Data's initiatives.