Tourism chief elated with PH’s hosting of WTTC global summit (Sabong News)
Author
Martin Sadongdong
Date
APRIL 22 2022
Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat lauded the Philippines’ hosting of the 21st World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit which culminated on Friday, April 22.
Romulo-Puyat said the summit, which carried the theme “Rediscovering Travel,” sought to discuss and support the recovery and continued growth of the global travel and tourism industry amid the challenges posed by the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.
She said the participants “collectively endeavored to formulate solutions, and generously share our best practices and discoveries with one another” as they “set to redefine our industry and encourage the rediscovery of travel amidst these challenging times.”
“Our shared hopes and dreams for the future are reflected in the policies we have developed, and the measures we have put in place to plan and realize this sector’s full and complete recovery,” she added.
Tourism is one of the most affected sectors by the mobility restrictions that were imposed wordlwide to curb the spread of Covid-19. But in the Philippines, the tourism sector has slowly been getting back on its feet as the government allowed local tourism to resume and reopened its borders to international passengers, thanks to the improved Covid-19 situation.
The tourism chief further said that the summit put emphasis on the travel and tourism sector’s discernment of the most effective combination between the enforcement of health and safety guidelines and personal convenience.
Meanwhile, advocacies for responsible tourism that promotes a greener environment were also championed during the global summit.
“Our destinations must not be allowed to go back to the old unsustainable ways of the past. Instead, we must move forward guided by the strategic and evidence-based planning, and aimed towards building further resilience,” Romulo-Puyat said.
“More than just a sector, that makes a significant contribution to the global economy, tourism can be an important tool for nature’s regeneration,” she noted.
The WTTC said that the annual global summit is the “most influential” travel and tourism event in the world. It gathers industry leaders and key government representatives “to continue aligning efforts to support the sector’s recovery and move beyond to a safer, more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.”
The Philippines hosted this year’s WTTC Global Summit from April 20 to 22.
The next summit will be hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in November 2022, according to WTTC chairperson Arnold Donald.
