Philippines Inks Tourism Cooperation Pact With Some ASEAN Member States

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) on tourism cooperation has been signed between the Philippines and some of its co-members in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to facilitate tourism flow in Southeast Asia.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) said the Philippines signed an MOU on tourism cooperation with Cambodia and another with Thailand during bilateral meetings which coincided with the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2016 (ATF 2016) last week.

DOT Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. told reporters that the main cooperation between the Philippines and Cambodia is meant to continue cultural exchanges, particularly on restoration of religious monuments like temples and churches.

Jimenez explained that after the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in the Visayas Region which damaged a number of iconic churches in Bohol and Cebu, Cambodia has expressed its desire to help restore them.

“Because of the Angkot Wat, Cambodians have some of the world’s most experienced restorers of ancient structures so the whole protocol behind this monumental reconstruction is not new to them and they want to help,” Jimenez said.

“This cooperation agreement formalizes this so we can exchange workers so they can send their people here and look into it,” he added.

The DOT chief, meanwhile, pointed out that the Philippines will also be providing its experts’ knowledge on restoration of relics and documents learned from Spain.

On the other hand, the main cooperation between the Philippines and Thailand is meant to develop a stronger marine and cruise tourism industry.

Thailand Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul told reporters that the idea is to turn Southeast Asia into one of the main cruise hubs.

“We have the opportunity because in our region, a ship can sail all year-long and because we are better than the Mediterranean in terms of the kind of climate since it’s very cold there,” she said.

“Over here, it’s milder so there are more months that people can enjoy a cruise trip,” she added, noting that Thailand has already started cruise trips between Thailand and Myanmar and Thailand and Cambodia.

She said that she looks forward to the region gradually opening more and more cruise trip destinations.

“A visit to Thailand is a jump-off point to the rest of Southeast Asia; a visit to Thailand is a potential visit to the Philippines, so even if you only get a fraction of what Thailand gets, you double your business,” Jimenez said.

Recent data from the DOT showed that there has been an average 50 percent growth in the number of cruise passengers to the Philippines from 2011 to 2015.

The Philippines received 35,236 passengers in 2015, which compared with 9,770 passengers in 2011. (PNA) SCS/ANP