Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco lauded Indonesia’s “excellent hosting” of the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2023, the biggest tourism gathering of industry leaders and professionals from the Southeast Asian nations this year.
Frasco made the statement during the bilateral meeting with her counterpart, Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno of Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy recently.
The tourism chief thanked the host country for welcoming the Philippine delegation with warmth and graciousness.
“We are here to express our desire to deepen the relations between our countries considering that as members of the ASEAN, we hold great potential in terms of the region as a unified tourist offering to those on the other side of the globe,” the tourism head said.
She proposed the enhancement of connectivity between the two countries by adding more direct flights outside of Philippines’ main gateway, Manila.
“At present the direct flights from Indonesia go only to Manila but there are many other destinations that we feel could present enormous tourism opportunities, including Cebu, Davao.”
“At present the direct flights from Indonesia go only to Manila but there are many other destinations that we feel could present enormous tourism opportunities, including Cebu, Davao, as well as other parts of the Philippines,” Frasco noted.
She also discussed the furthering of MICE offerings of the Philippines noting that this a strong point of Indonesia, and offered joint collaboration in furtherance of the Philippines’ tourism products such as pilgrimage, cruise, English as a Second Language (ESL), and Halal Tourism.
Additionally, Frasco underscored the significance of furthering cooperation under the BIMP-EAGA on the aspect of linking Southern Philippines (Mindanao) to the North of Indonesia through connectivity by air and sea.
“We intend to execute a Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation with the Philippines to engender joint collaboration and promotion for both countries as far as regional tourism development is concerned.”
For his part, the Indonesian Minister conveyed his intent to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Tourism Cooperation with the Philippines to engender joint collaboration and promotion for both countries as far as regional tourism development is concerned.
Uno underscored the common attributes of the two nations thereby presenting great potential for mutual growth.
He added that under the Creative Economy, Indonesia’s focus has been to strengthen MSMEs as part and parcel of the tourism value chain.
Indonesia further expressed desire to collaborate in terms of country tourism promotions, film tourism, and human capital development.
Meanwhile, Indonesia also lauded the rehabilitation and sustainability efforts done on the world-famous Boracay Island after its shutdown adding that they also wish to learn from the Philippines on best practices on sustainability.
