Big, small travel agents vital in tourism – Gordon

All Philippine tourism stakeholders, big and small, have vital role to play in the growth and development of the industry, according to Sen. Richard Gordon, a former tourism secretary.

Gordon, in a recent speech before travel agents, stressed this when he said “the government and the tourism stakeholders must work hand in hand to make the tourism law (Tourism Act of 2009) effective.”

“With the faithful implementation of this law, the nation can have a better institution to regulate and promote tourism and install the necessary infrastructures to make our country truly world-class,” he said.

Gordon cited the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies as one which should be included in the deliberation of issues as this biggest group of travel agents had and is playing a very important role.

Naitas was active in the drafting of the law, opposing the provision giving positions in new tourism agencies only to members of the Federation of Tourism Industries of the Philippines and the Philippine Travel Agencies Association to the detriments of other stakeholders, especially the small and medium operators.

Naitas also opposed the proposal to require hotels and hospitality establishments to charge each tourist an additional $5 as “tourism fee” which would have priced the Philippines out as a tourist destination.

He said that a “tourism related industry congress will be conveyed so that tourism stakeholders can choose the people who are going to occupy – not for title, but for development of the industry – positions in the Tourism Promotions Board and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.”

--Tonight