Tourism reset

Ending months of speculation, Malacañang announced yesterday that Maria Christina Frasco was out as secretary of tourism.

Undersecretary Verna Buensuceso will be serving as officer-in-charge of the Department of Tourism. The DOT has been rocked by controversy over accusations of underperformance and Frasco’s alleged promotion of herself rather than the country’s travel destinations.

The country isn’t lacking in tourism attractions. But it has become a regional laggard in terms of international tourism arrivals, watching in envy as Vietnam leapfrogs toward the top of Southeast Asian destinations and Cambodia closes in.

Some major issues raised by industry players can be addressed by a tourism secretary, such as expensive accommodations compared to those in the same category in neighboring states, and incoherent promotion of products, services and destinations.

The DOT secretary can also coordinate multisectoral efforts to address other problems, such as comparatively expensive airfares, inadequate airports and the lack of direct flights between the country and many key cities around the world.

Almost from Day One, Frasco had been hounded by criticisms of the DOT’s marketing programs under her watch. Her replacement would have to do a better job, given the limited resources compared to those of other countries.

Many other problems bedevil the tourism sector, a number of which are beyond a DOT chief’s control. With the departure of Frasco, the Marcos administration should give more attention to these problems.

Foremost of this is the peace and order situation. Concerns over personal security are a major factor in the substantial drop in travel arrivals from the country’s top two sources of foreign visitors: South Korea and China.

The South Koreans were spooked by a series of armed attacks on their nationals, notably those in Pampanga and even in Bonifacio Global City. They worry that former police superintendent Rafael Dumlao III, the convicted mastermind in the ransom kidnapping and execution of businessman Jee Ick-joo inside Camp Crame, the Philippine National Police headquarters, remains at large, with his wife reportedly working at the National Bureau of Investigation.

Meanwhile, prospective Chinese tourists have been spooked by reports of their compatriots being targeted by fellow Chinese for ransom kidnapping, torture, rape and even murder in the Philippines. While such incidents have abated following the ban on Philippine offshore gaming operations, the fears persist, compounded by the ongoing maritime dispute between the two countries.

Many other problems will have to be confronted by the next secretary of tourism. But the industry needs an overall conductor who is empowered to bring together various agencies to work for a common goal, which is to boost the competitiveness of Philippine tourism.