Department of Tourism (DOT) is pushing for sustainable tourism in destinations across Central Luzon. The initiative is vital to ensure that sites are responsibly utilized amid the peak of tourist arrivals.

Central Luzon Regional Director Richard Daenos said that the DOT reminds tourism officers of the importance of balance to attain sustainable tourism.

“They should have management plans where they should consider the capacity of the destinations in terms of daily tourist arrivals,” he furthered.

Taking care of the country’s local destinations is a responsibility of the residents to ensure that the natural beauty of these places is preserved.

With this, Daenos encouraged local government officials to create ordinances to sustain the flow of tourism by balancing it to the needs of the ecosystem.

“The community really has a big responsibility of taking good care of whatever it is that we have. This will allow us to see the pride of a place— what makes it more beautiful, what makes it more radiant, what makes it more visited,” he stated.

He pressed that standards should be imposed on all tourist destinations in the region so that their future availability is not compromised.

Tourists visiting the region’s destinations should also respect the beauty that the tourism hotspots could offer for an enhanced tourism experience.

“Responsible tourism begins within us. We get to enjoy the beaches and other places but of course, we should be responsible and aware of what’s happening in the environment and take care of it,” he said.

Management of tourism destinations must focus not on profit but on environmental responsibility to create a more sustainable outlook for the industry. (PIA 3)