DOT-7 Urges Tourist Establishments to Back Water Conservation Drive

The Department of Tourism (DOT) – Region 7 has encouraged all tourism establishments in Central Visayas to support the agency’s water conservation campaign to lessen the impact of the dry spell that is expected to take a heavy toll on the region’s economic output.

Called “Operation Waterfall” (Water for All), the campaign calls on all tourism establishments to conserve water in their daily operations and encourage their customers and guests to also do the same.

“Cebu, as stated in reports of Pagasa (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), is one of the provinces that will be very much affected with the dry spell, so we in the tourism sector have to help in any way we can to lessen its impact,” said DOT-7 Director Rowena Montecillo.

Montecillo said DOT Manila has already called meetings with the different regional heads to inform about the agency’s role in the El Niño issue.

Hotels and restaurants are businesses with heavy water consumption.

Tourism officials hope that with the participation of tourist establishment owners, the effects of the dry spell on the province is lessened.

The DOT has come up with a list of establishments to effectively monitor water consumption and implement water conservation measures in five critical departments of hotels and restaurants such as food and beverage, laundry, housekeeping, engineering and grounds.

The checklist also covers customer/guest engagement and communication tools to increase awareness.

Some 38 DOT accredited tourism establishments have attended last month’s workshop on Operation Waterfall.

“We are happy to note that while these tourism establishments have their own in-house policies on water efficiency and conservation, they are very supportive of this bigger campaign, which we envision to be sustainable and not just limited to the El Niño crisis,” Montecillo said. (PNA) LAP/JFM/EB/PR/SSC