Group Hails New Tourism Act

The country’s biggest travel organization has hailed the passage by Congress of the Tourism Act of 2009—after the legislators heeded the group’s concerns and removed provisions in the bill that would have been onerous to small and medium tour and travel operators. “We are happy the Senate and House of Representatives acted on our concerns,” said Robert Lim Joseph, chair emeritus of the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (Naitas). The bill is awaiting the signature of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who had certified it as urgent. Its principal authors were Sen. Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate tourism committee, and Rep. Edgar Chatto, House tourism panel chair. Naitas noted that the final version of the bill omitted provisions—sponsored by the Federation of Tourism Industries of the Philippines (FTIP) and Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA)—that purportedly discriminated against small and medium tour and travel operators.

One provision Naitas opposed would have hotels and other accommodation establishments charge each tourist an additional $5 a night as a “tourism fee.” Naitas pointed out the provision would price the Philippines out of the tourism map and impose an unnecessary burden on hotels. It also opposed a provision exclusively giving FTIP and PTAA members representation in tourism bodies to the detriment of other stakeholders. Joseph said the resulting tourism act was fair and equitable because all operators, regardless of size, would now be consulted on proposed tourism policies and programs, not just the tourism “elite.” “The important thing is the measure is geared toward nation building to benefit not only the tourism industry but all sectors as well,” he said.

He lauded the law as a tool that would transform Philippine tourism into an engine of growth and development to create jobs and business opportunities. Joseph also singled out a provision in the act that paves the way for the creation of a culture of tourism in the country, which was started by Gordon when he was tourism secretary. Naitas has spearheaded the development of a culture of tourism in the private sector since 2000 when it held culture of tourism seminars in the provinces. “The provinces, down to the barangay level, would benefit if we had a culture of tourism, with our values and attitudes in believing in ourselves, being proud of our culture, history and heritage, and love of place,” said Joseph.