The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) signed two key agreements that harness science and technology to develop the country’s tourism offerings and promote sustainable development.
The first agreement, a memorandum of understanding (MOU), focuses on promoting the Smart and Sustainable Communities Program (SSCP).
The program aims to transform communities into smart, sustainable and resilient hubs through a people-centric and technology-driven approach.
Under the MOU, the DOT and DOST will collaborate on various aspects, including knowledge creation, technology development, capability building, and policy advocacy to achieve the goals of the SSCP.
The second is a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the development and deployment of the Tourism Live-Inventory and Statistics of Tourist Arrivals (TourLISTA) 2.0 app.
TourLISTA is a web-based tool that provides real-time updates, advanced data visualization tools and comprehensive inventory and statistics on tourist arrivals, empowering tourism stakeholders with valuable insights.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco emphasized the necessity of technology of modernizing the tourism industry.
“We manifest our joint commitment to innovation in the democratization of tourism. The introduction of technology is no longer just an option, but rather an absolute necessity,” she said during the ceremony.
Frasco also received Halal modules developed by the DOST, aligning with the DOT’s strategy to diversify tourism products and position the Philippines as a Muslim-friendly destination.
