THE Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRAP) has asked the Department of Tourism (DOT) to further push “food tourism” as a major promotion effort to attract more foreign tourists to the country.
The group, led by its president Eugene Yap, paid a courtesy call on Tuesday on DOT officials, led by Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo and Undersecretary for Tourism Development Planning Benito C. Bengzon Jr., at the DOT office in Makati City.
In an interview, chef and restaurateur Raoul Roberto Goco told the BusinessMirrror that while there are many reasons to go to a destination or province in the Philippines, such as beaches or scuba diving, etc., the local delicacies there also need to be played up by the DOT.
He pointed out that other foreign tourists make trips specifically to Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, etc., “just to eat food. How can we make it that way for the Philippines?”
Goco, an HRAP board director for the restaurant division, said he proposed that the DOT “recognize” food delicacies and native alcoholic beverages served in many local destinations, to help bring in the food tourists.
“For example, you go to Vigan because of Calle Crisologo, the heritage homes and churches, but also, the tourists need to be made aware that it is also famous for its longganisa [native sausage], empanada [meat pie], and you can bring home their bagnet [deep-fried pork slabs]. So even a month or two after, when you take out the bagnet from your freezer, reheat it and take a bite, you will remember your trip to Vigan.”
Goco, likewise, urged the DOT to help protect the local food purveyors and delicacies in the country’s many destinations from large food companies. “I’m not against Jollibee or McDonald’s, but what I’m saying is, in many destinations there used to be thriving eateries where good local food and drink are served to visitors. But these days, look at the tourists, they go to these huge fast-food joints. We need to protect our local delicacies and drink.”
A glaring example of this is Boracay Island, whose local government had earlier banned fast-food chains from opening shop. Boracaynons have said this allowed locals and small food entrepreneurs to set up their own homegrown restaurants on the island, creating a thriving food community and businesses for residents. Recently, however, large company food chains have been allowed to open on Boracay, such that there are now two Jollibee restaurants there, along with a Starbucks outlet and two McDonald’s restaurants, among others.
The HRAP also proposed the return of the “long weekends” that were in vogue during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, to boost domestic tourism. Under this practice, holidays that fell on weekdays, were moved to weekends to give the public three-day weekends that allowed them to go on short breaks. The practice was scrapped by President Benigno S. Aquino III.
“Secretary Teo seemed amenable to this suggestion,” said Goco, “and said she would recommend it to the President.”
He added the HRAP is helping the DOT by suggesting more ways to boost food tourism in the country. “What we have is Madrid Fusión Manila, but what else? We need to focus on local food, too.” Goco is executive chef of Cyma Greek Taverna Co.