Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) former president Marciano Ragaza disclosed during Friday’s Kita Ug Ang Gobernador that Bohol is among top three provinces whose focus was centered on the National Tourism Development Plan. Gov. Edgar M. Chatto welcomed Ragaza along with some 93 members of the PTAA, the biggest association of travel agencies in the country, who are in the province for a three day fellowship and familiarization tour. At fellowship night of the Bohol Tourism Convention, Chatto bragged of Bohol’s unique tourism thrust to be a prime eco-cultural destination as key towards taking part in the fastest growing industry in the world, citing that tourism accounts for 10% of the global workforce and capital formation. We persisted in making sure that Boholano culture is part of our development framework as a manifestation of our strong advocacy to preserve nature and our heritage, he said.

Chatto also shared dialoguing with various tourism sectors in the 6-week pre-tourism summit consultations which led up to the 2-day first ever locally-initiated tourism summit in the country as a vital step towards maximizing the benefits of the tourism industry. He went on to recognize the PTAA’s valuable contribution to the passing of the Tourism Code of 2009. Among PTAA advocacies include tourism growth, partnering with the Dept. of Tourism (DOT), Dept. of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Dept. of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) for the lifting of the Philippines’ category 2 safety rating under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as well as vouching for Pres. Noynoy Aquino’s Executive Order 29 on pocket open skies. A Category 2 rating in the International Aviation Safety Assessment program means a country either lacks laws or regulations necessary to oversee air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards, or that its civil aviation authority — equivalent to the FAA — is deficient in one or more areas, such as technical expertise, trained personnel, record-keeping or inspection procedures.

The FAA then banned airlines from the Philippines from adding flights to the United States. The European Union followed suit with the banning of Philippine carriers from landing in European airports. As a means to boost tourist arrivals investments in the country, PNoy signed EO 29, liberalizing Philippine aviation by easing restrictions on foreign airlines in select international airports outside Metro Manila. Incumbent PTAA President Aileen Clemente is positive Bohol is poised to gain from PTAA endeavors with new developments in the tourism industry, including processes in accepting international tourists. She admired not only the island province’s captivating beauty and wonder but also heaped praise for competent tour guides coming from Bohol. Bohol is identified as one of tourism gateways with the airport as top priority project of the PNoy administration. The National Tourism Development Plan was set to be presented by DOT Sec. Alberto Lim last Friday afternoon. (Leah/EDCom)