DOT moves to boost Mindanao’s ‘fabulous’ tourist spots

DAVAO ORIENTAL, Philippines – The Mindanao Tourism Expo officially opened in Davao City on Friday, January 27, with Tourism Secretary Cristina Frasco announcing plans to boost Mindanao tourism by highlighting lesser-known destinations on the island and signing a memorandum of agreement with other government departments to improve security.

Officials said the new government program, “Bisita: Be my guest,” would offer perks to citizens and groups who bring in foreign tourists.

The expo runs until Sunday, January 29, and features exhibits from various tourism companies and government offices.

Frasco said the Department of Tourism (DOT) was working to see tourist numbers return to pre-pandemic levels, even in Mindanao, by 2025.

Frasco graced the opening of the first ever three-day Mindanao Tourism Expo at the SMX Convention Center in SM Lanang Premier in Davao where she said the new DOT campaign would “highlight the lesser-known yet fabulous world-class destinations” in the country’s second-largest island, which has been left behind due to years of insurgency and extremism.

Frasco also announced that the tourism department would sign a tripartite memorandum of agreement with the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to tighten measures for “peace and security, which are the very foundations of reopening Mindanao tourism.”

Tanya Rabat Tan, the DOT director in the Davao Region, said Mindanao is home to a wide range of attractions, vibrant cultures, friendly communities, and rich history – things that should be capitalized on in the tourism thrust in the Southern Philippines.

Davao Mayor Sebastian Duterte, for his part, said the local government was revitalizing the tourism sector in the biggest city in Mindanao by developing “new tourism circuits.”

The first Mindanao Tourism Expo features public displays from different DOT regional offices, local governments, tour operators, airline and transportation companies, tourism establishments, food providers, and related service providers.

The expo, which is being held until Sunday, includes a wide range of activities such as learning sessions, business-to-business and business-to-customer meetings, and opportunities for travel exchanges. – Rappler.com