LEGAZPI CITY—Albay will host the New Tourism Frontiers Forum 2015, organized by the Pacific Asia Travel Association, on November 25 to 27 at the Oriental Hotel here.
The province bested other major bidders in the Asia-Pacific region to host the meeting. The event will be jointly presided over by Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez and PATA corporate executive officer Mario Hardy.
PATA, the premier travel organization in the Asia Pacific, has close to 1,000 associate groups, education and hospitality agencies, tourism destinations, as well as corporate, government and industrial links, and about 70 aviation carriers as partners.
Aside from more economic benefits for their province, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said the forum venue in Legazpi City further firmed up Albay’s reputation as a leading Philippine tourism growth area and a showcase in transcending the ill effects of climate change through novel approaches to tourism promotion, among others.
Salceda has been asked to discuss the forum’s theme, “Ecotourism: Transcending Climate Change.” He is expected to share with foreign delegations Albay’s experiences, especially its highly effective climate change adaptation and tourism strategies.
The forum will bring together world tourism experts and players in Albay to discuss current and emerging issues related to adventure, travel and responsible tourism, in the face of threats of weather disturbances brought by climate change. It also aims to share with participants new insights on eco-tourism, market updates on emerging destinations and practical knowhow in tourism management.
“As host of PATA 2015, Albay shares its unique experiences in transcending the inevitable effects of climate change,” Salceda said. The United Nations declared Albay its global model in climate change adaptation or adapting to the impacts of climate change. After suffering 46 percent damage in 2006, the province quickly recovered by using tourism as one of its principal tools for reconstruction.
The November forum in Albay serves as the opening salvo for the destination-based objective of “Visit the Philippines Again (VPA) 2016,” the country’s first massive retail-focused tourism campaign, with Albay and the Department of Tourism as partners in the endeavor.
The DoT has declared Albay as the Philippines’ fastest growing tourist destination. It posted an impressive 47 percent tourism growth in 2012; 66 percent in 2013 and 52 percent in the second quarter of 2014.
Foreign tourist arrivals surged to 339,000 in 2014 fromjust 8,700 in 2006. Within that same period, Salceda initiated the construction of some 320 kilometers of roads which provided access to new, unique and exotic tourism destinations.