The event aims to bring together policy makers and stakeholders in island and coastal regions to network effectively and to find common solutions for the overall development and sustainability of these regions. It would be hosted by the Department of Tourism and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
In a much earlier press conference, Lee Choon Loong, president and CEO of Discovery Mice, the Malaysian conference convenor, related that Cebu was chosen as host due to three strong points.
“First is the accessibility of the place to the participants due to the international airport. Second is the strong support of the public and private sectors to the industry. And third is the strong potential for case studies in marine protection as an ecotourism destination,” he told a group of media writers at the Radisson Blu Hotel.
He added that Cebu is an important component of the Coral Triangle, the center of the center of the Visayas Sea which is host to the world’s largest collection of marine biodiversity species and coral life.
Loong also hoped for the delegates to learn and impart the knowledge gained from the international speakers to benefit their respective local situationers so as to reap long-term benefits from the event.
Tourism Asst. Secretary Ronaldo Canizal declared that the event also aims to promote socially responsible tourism to protect the environment, develop opportunities for rural tourism, and educate stakeholders to learn rural practices.
He added that the idea is to make the destinations even more vibrant and spread and diversify the benefits of the products. According to him, the theme holds much relevance in our archipelago as they aim to educate the people on the protection of the resources.
Some of the plenary sessions would include topics like Management: Behind Marine Ecotourism Success Stories”, “Destination Development: Socio-Economic Value Beyond Beaches;” “Successful Ecotourism Marketing: Experiences is The Real Thing;” and “Coastal Communities: Eliminating Poverty through Sustainability.”
The event will also hold business to business sessions with various tour operators, capacity building meetings, and a Cebu Declaration that encapsulates the sessions and outputs of the event.
Loong added that the conference will also include a technical day tour to Bohol, a prime world-class ecotourism site which boasts of such attractions as the Loboc River Cruise, the Chocolate Hills, the Cambuhat Oyster Farm, and the tarsier sanctuary.
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