Marcos: PH tourism under great deal of pressure

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday admitted that the Philippines’ tourism industry is under “a great deal of pressure.”

Marcos made the remark days after the leadership change at the Department of Tourism.

“Our tourism industry is now under a great deal of pressure dahil sa mga nangyayari.

Marcos acknowledged the Philippines is lagging behind regional tourism leaders such as Thailand in attracting foreign visitors.

"Last year, we only welcomed six million people. Just to give you a frame of reference, Thailand welcomes 30 million tourists every year. Kaya malaki ang hahabulin natin (So we have a lot of catching up to do),” Marcos said during the inauguration of the Mactan Expo Center.

Marcos said Cebu would continue to play a major role in the government’s tourism development plans.

“Cebu will always play a very, very large part in all our plans for tourism. You have made a name for yourselves around the world and you are recognized as one of the favorite tourist destinations in the Philippines,” he said.

“Travelers look for destinations that are easy to reach and equipped with facilities such as this, and of course, the beauty that all of the Philippines is able to offer,” he added.

Marcos recently appointed Christina Frasco as Presidential Adviser for Sustainable and Resilient Communities, leaving the Department of Tourism under the leadership of Officer-in-Charge Verna Buensuceso.

Frasco, a former mayor of Liloan town in Cebu, had faced criticism amid the Philippines’ lagging tourist arrivals compared with neighboring Southeast Asian destinations.

She also drew flak over tourism advertisements that featured her image.—MCG, GMA Integrated News