TAKING cue from other towns in the country, sustainability of tourism programs through collection of environment fee is being pressed in the proposed tourism code of La Trinidad, Benguet.
Municipal tourism officer Valred Olsim said sustainability dictates an environment fee to be imposed to those who want to visit the Benguet town.
“We have to make it a point that we collect P20 environment fee or should the council decide less or more than that,” Olsim said.
For the past three years, the Benguet capital town is visited by up to 500,000 during the peak season.
“If we did impose P20, we could have fixed facilities for tourists in order to boost arrival,” he added, saying additional fees would also help sustain programs for the tourism sector.
Olsim added one of the target of the program are tour organizers bringing in visitors by bus or by van.
Moreover, under the proposed tourism code, visitors must acquire the services of trained local tour guides.
Once the code is approved, the first action he disclosed is an information education campaign.
In 2018, members of Municipal Council in La Trinidad proposed tourism code covers the tourism infrastructures, tourism council, tourism office, inter-government relationships, tourism resources, incentives, registration, permits, travel and tour agencies, tour guides, transport operations, pasalubong or souvenir shops, restaurants, malls and other facilities, sports, recreational activities, meetings convention and events, tourism safety and security and provision on organized tours.
The tourism code which was passed on first reading has undergone public hearing last year, features new implementing rules and regulations in the establishment of an office and council.