DOT: Budget For ASEAN Tourism Forum 2016 Pegged At PhP169-M

With less than a week left before the Philippines hosting of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2016 from Jan. 18 to 22, the Department of Tourism (DOT) on Wednesday revealed that the budget allocated for the annual high-profile meeting is pegged at PhP169-million.

DOT Undersecretary for Tourism Development and Planning Benito Bengzon Jr. confirmed this amount adding that the bulk of it will be used for travel-related expenses or hosted tours for the delegates.

Bengzon meanwhile emphasized that the budget is a “small amount” compared to the revenue the department is expected to generate overall.

“One thing that we have to keep in mind is that ATF 2016 will be yet another excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate the organizational capabilities of the Philippines as we have shown in the recent hosting of APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) as well as other big-ticket events the last few years,” Bengzon said.

He also stressed that because the meeting is essentially an ASEAN event, the overall objective is to collectively promote opportunities in ASEAN to the global market.

“We have always seized the opportunity to introduce innovations in the way we host international events and ATF will be no different,” he added.

The annual ATF is a cooperative regional meeting meant to promote the ASEAN region as a single tourist destination and increase awareness of ASEAN as a competitive regional tourist destination in the Asia Pacific.

Bengzon earlier said that the hosting of ATF is rotated among the member countries each year. ATF 2016 marks the 35th anniversary of the event since it’s inauguration in 1981.

The tourism ministers of the 10 ASEAN-member states are expected to attend the event as well as heads of international organizations, representatives from dialogue partners, and heads of national tourism organizations.

ATF will involve 200 government meetings, 450 travel exchange (TRAVEX) buyers from 60 countries, 1,500 sellers, 110 international and 50 local media.

Among the highlights of the ATF will be the presentation of the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) 2016 to 2025, which, will work towards the development and growth of the region’s tourism.

Bengzon said that the target is to have the ATSP presented to the tourism ministers if not approved by the end of ATF.

Meetings of NTOs will begin on Jan 18 until 20, meetings of ASEAN tourism leaders happening simultaneously with the TRAVEX will be from Jan 21 to 22, and post tours for delegates will start from Jan. 23 until 25.

While meetings will be held at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay, the TRAVEX will be held at the SMX Convention Center.

The program for ATF has been shortened to five days from the usual week-long activities since the department noticed that there are some activities that both tourism ministers and heads of national tourism organizations (NTOs) are not able to attend at the same time.

“For the first time, ATF has been compressed to allow heads of NTOs and tourism ministers to attend the same event,” Bengzon said, assuring that most of the events in the program will happen simultaneously with other events and that nothing important will be left out. (PNA) LGI/ANP