By PR | 09:38 PM March 15, 2024
The Bohol delegation to the Internationale Tourismus Börse (ITB) in Berlin scored a coup of sorts when it sold P93.4 million to tourism players who attended what is considered the world’s biggest tourism stage.
This was revealed during The Capitol Reports (TCR) held March 15 at the Ceremonial Hall of the Provincial Capitol.
Present in Friday’s forum were provincial administrator Asteria Caberte, Joanne Pinat, Provincial Tourism Office head; Sean Ybañez, Modala Beach Resort general manager; and Andrew John Fernandez, Bellevue resort manager.
ITB Berlin is the travel industry’s most important event where tour operators, carriers, hotels, and many other tourism companies from different countries gather in the exhibition halls at the radio tower to present the latest travel trends.
Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado led the Bohol delegation which included Caberte, Pinat, the Bohol Association of Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants (BAHRR), and the world-renowned Loboc Children’s Choir.
Bohol generated positive responses from business personnel and tourists who attended ITB 2024 and liked what they saw in Bohol through the presentations on the center stage as a sustainable destination, helping them understand why the province was recognized as the only UNESCO Global Geopark in the Philippines.
Pinat said a large number of travelers expressed interest in visiting Bohol.
Since Bohol is still in its stages of development, Fernandes said that the supply chain and present capacity provided by BHARR are challenges that must be addressed.
Even with the existing facilities to house visitors, there is still a shortage of rooms due to the increasing demand.
Additionally, establishments compete for the same resources, which include food and utilities, which are impacted by rising costs.
The panel also tackled one source of Bohol’s labor shortage which is finance as raised by the media.
With many Boholanos preferring to work overseas which offers higher pay, the panelists said the industry hopes to offer benefits, incentives, and other perks to convince them to stay home.
At the same time, the stakeholders said Bohol must have a strong online presence and look for ways to work with stakeholders, destination management organizations, and travel influencers to market the province.
This may yet be the game-changer for Bohol when word spreads as a result.
Bohol is highly sought after in terms of lodging capacity, supply chain, services, and demand enforcement in the international market.
The panelists agreed that the province must regularly participate in tourism fairs to draw more tourists to the new market and develop and expand its supply and service offerings. (PIMO/RJG)
