Capitol Gathers Youth for Sustainable Tourism

About 400 Cebuano youths gathered in a conference organized by the Cebu Provincial Government through the Cebu Provincial Tourism Office, yesterday, August 21.

In his speech, Governor Hilario P. Davide III emphasized the role of the youth towards sustainable tourism.

“Cebu tourism needs new and fresh ideas coming from you. You need to be creative, but we should promote Cebu the right way,” Davide said.

“The Cebu Provincial Government is also counting on you to help promote environment-friendly practices,” Davide added.

Provincial Tourism Officer Joselito “Boboi” Costas, defined sustainable tourism as a “model by which all kinds of tourism are patterned after and the standard by which all kinds of tourism are measured against.”

“In the context of tourism, the youth can certainly move to change the world, to the idea of sustainable tourism,” Costas added.

Among the speakers during the summit were April Cuenca, Max Limpag, Ann Dumaliang, Bonifer Nacorda, Rex Layos, and Kyle Jennerman, who talked about environmental sustainability, digital media, and their contributions to sustainable tourism.

Meanwhile, Feltom Josef Homecillo, President of Alegria’s Youth Council, said he would echo his learning to the other 1,176 youth members of their local council.

“The youths help maintain and sustain the different tourist destinations specifically in taking care of the environment,” Homecillo said.

He added that the active members of their council participated in regular clean-up drives every last Monday of the month.

The “Farm to Table” tour in Alegria is among the top tourist destinations of Big 5, the forefront project of the Provincial Tourism Office on ecology and community-based tourism.

“I hope that the future generations can still benefit the bounty of tourism and will still enjoy what we are now enjoying,” Vice Governor Agnes Magpale said in her speech.

The event is one of the activities in-line with the month-long celebration of Cebu’s 448th Founding Anniversary, with the theme “Hiniusang Paningkamot, Kalambuan Karon ug sa Umaabot.”

cebu.gov.ph