THE Department of Tourism (DOT) has reached out to the diplomatic corps in Manila, appealing for their respective countries’ support in its bid to host the 24th Session of the UNWTO General Assembly in 2021.
Some 57 dignitaries from 45 embassies attended Wednesday’s lunch hosted by the DOT at the historic Marble Hall of the Ayuntamiento de Manila in Intramuros. Those who joined the lunch represented member-states of the United Nations World Tourism Organization
(UNWTO), and were treated to the best in Filipino hospitality.
“We already have the support of our Asean neighbors,” said Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat in an interview with the BusinessMirror, “but we need more help from other countries to strengthen our bid.”
In her keynote speech on Wednesday, Romulo Puyat said: “Taking the lead at the UNWTO General Assembly is consistent with the Department of Tourism’s advocacy to promote awareness for responsible travel and tourism that is meaningful, not only for the traveler, but more so for the communities whose quality of life is uplifted by tourism. The Philippines wants to hold itself accountable and committed to building a tourism sector that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impact.”
Sustainable tourism has been a key tenet of the UNWTO, which has recognized a number of Philippine resorts and destinations for advancing this in their operations. For instance, Balesin Island Club in Quezon was a finalist in the 14th UNWTO Awards in 2018 in the Innovation for Enterprises category, while the Masungi Georeserve in Tanay, Rizal, was a finalist in the 15th UNWTO Awards in 2019 in the Enterprises category.
The country’s bid to host the UNWTO GA is timed with the celebration of the quincentennial anniversary of the world’s first circumnavigation in 1521, which was completed when Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s Spanish expedition arrived in Cebu.
“Beyond the work that has and is continuously being put forward, it is likewise very timely that the Philippines welcomes the world for this assembly in time for the quincentennial celebration of the first successful circumnavigation of the world. An event of great significance to mankind, a triumph in travel and exploration, one that has the Philippines in the center of it all,” said Romulo Puyat.
The guests were serenaded by West End personalities Isay Alvarez and Robert Seña, who sang classic Filipino and international songs as guests were served an array of updated Filipino dishes created by Chef Happy Ongpauco-Tiu. Following the lunch reception, the diplomats were treated to a quick tour of the Ayuntamiento and interesting points in Intramuros.
The Philippines earlier received the backing of the UNWTO Commission on Asia and the Pacific and the Commission on South Asia during the group’s joint meeting in Bhutan last June.
In a separate interview, Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Marie Venus Tan underscored the importance of the Philippines’s hosting the UNWTO GA. “It is considered the most important global meeting of senior tourism government officials and high-level representatives of the private sector,” she said, with expected participants around 1,000-1,500.
The GA is held every two years; this year it will be in Russia. It is attended by delegates from UNWTO Full and Associate Members, as well as representatives from UNWTO Affiliate Members.
Other countries pitching for the UNWTO GA in 2021 are Kenya and Morocco.
Tan said inspectors from the UNWTO will be coming soon to check out the facilities in Manila and other key destinations in the country, for the country’s preparedness to hold the event.