DEPARTMENT of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director for the National Capital Region (NCR) Benjamin F. Santiago said last Thursday tourism in the country could further be improved by having more tour guides who could speak foreign languages, especially Mandarin.

 

In his speech before the delegates and officials present during the 25th Metro Manila Business Conference at the Manila Hotel, Santiago underscored the successes the tourism industry has achieved since Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo took office. He also identified remaining “major gaps” that leave much of the industry’s potential untapped.

 

“Tourism is one of our fastest-growing sectors, and it has brought a lot of impact on our country’s economy. However, we need to enhance the experience for our visitors by welcoming them with tour guides that could speak to them in their mother tongues. We need more foreign-speaking tour guides, especially those who can speak Chinese,” Santiago said.

 

China remains among the country’s top sources of foreign tourists, with a recorded 388,896 tourist arrivals from that country in the first half of 2017, accounting for 13.4 percent of tourist arrivals in that period, topped only by Korea and the US, which are responsible for 25 percent and 14 percent of tourist arrivals in the country, respectively.

 

Santiago hopes the language barrier not be a hindrance to the government’s goal of attracting more tourists, especially those from the region.

 

“Nowadays, traveling is no longer just for enjoyment. It is for cultural advancement, as tourists want to really immerse in the cultures of the countries they visit. The Philippines has a very rich culture; we only need to improve the tourist experience by having equipped tour guides, especially for those coming from our fellow Southeast Asian nations,” Santiago added.

 

The country is hoping to welcome at least 12 million foreign tourists by 2022, and the DOT is targeting to generate at least 6.5 million tourism-related jobs by the end of the Duterte administration.