DOT 7 to Bohol: diversify, look

beyond beaches, choco, tarsier

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, (PIA)— With Bohol’s online tourism billboards centered on beaches, Chocolate Hills and the tarsiers, Department of Tourism -7 Assistant Regional Director (DOT-7 ARD) Gelena Asis Dimpas told Boholano stakeholders to diversify and look beyond that is readily available, beyond the curated itineraries.

Speaking at the Tourism Business Forum expounding “Beyond Beaches: Building on and further enhancing Bohol’s status as the country’s best tourism destination while ensuring sustainable and inclusive development,” ARD Dimpas called for the expansion of Bohol’s tourism portfolio beyond the usual come-ons.

Herself admitting Bohol’s edge as a diversely rich venue for multi-dimensional experience, Dimpas told stakeholders to go for the tourism value of the Bohol “tourism that is shaped by its farmers, fisherfolk, aquafarms, youth and heritage keepers where tourism becomes a tool to uplift communities, protect environment, culture and heritage and sustain this social transformation.”

The DOT has emphasized Bohol’s unique position to venture into diving, outdoors, farm tourism, eco-tourism, cruise tourism, creative tourism, gastronomy and culinary tourism, faith-based and pilgrimage tourism, the Filipino martial arts and education as a way to diversify its attractions and increase the province’s attractions.

Beyond beaches is making tourism work for host communities and protecting what makes Bohol special, she said.

This, she added, “is expanding beyond the coastal offerings to include inland and upland experiences in agri-tourism, heritage trails, forest wellness, faith based treks, while investing in research and development to ensure relevance, quality and market responsiveness.”

This however has to be done by protecting the tourism resource base by integrating environmental safeguards and culture conservation, ensuring that tourism activities respect ecosystems, heritage sites, and community values.

Along these, she suggested prioritizing locals across the value chain by training and hiring locals, developing and empowering micro small and medium enterprises, youth and community based groups as co-creators of tourism value, all for ownership and sustainability.

She also pushed for making sure there us inclusive planning and profit distribution.

“Engage host communities in product design, policy consultation and monitoring, extend tourism benefits to underserved mainland communities through strategic investment promotions,” she emphasized, before a modest gathering of tourism business stakeholders gathered by the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) at the MetroCenter Hotel.

And with Bohol designated as a member of the UNESCO global geoparks and the only one in the country, she hinted a branding promotion that makes Bohol even more attractive to international markets.

“We have to position Bohol as a regenerative and values-driven destination,” she urged local and international tourism industry stakeholders.

While the only geopark in the Philippines and its unique status in southeast Asia, Boholanos also need to “collaborate across ass sectors to reach new markets while maintaining authenticity and integrity in its tourism offers to protect the tourism resources, ARD Dimpas urged.

Meanwhile, Bohol Tourism Council Chairman Atty. Lucas Nunag said the council looks forward to the privatization of the Bohol Panglao International Airport as a catalyst for exploration on how Bohol can elevate its tourism offerings.

With this, the council, along with BCCI has assured continued collaboration in sustaining Bohol tourism. (PIABohol)

NON NEGOTIABLE. DOT 7 ARD Gelena Asis Dimpas told Boholanos to keep protecting its tourism resource base as this keeps Bohol an edge in the industry that has been its primary engine for development. ARD Dimpas was among the speakers in the recent Tourism Business Forum hosted by the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI). (PIABohol)