Sorry, dear tourists

PERCEPTIONS

- ARIEL NEPOMUCENO

Tourists are our guests and must be treated with utmost respect and warm accommodations. They expect to be safe and to be accorded with a high degree of fairness and honesty. Besides, they bring much needed revenues that prop up our economy.

Last year, 2024, it was reported that the total revenues from tourism was P760.50 billion. An increase of 9.04 percent from the previous year, 2023, when we earned P697.46 billion. The Department of Tourism did a good job. But we must not rest on our laurels. More needed improvements must be done to achieve the maximum potential of this sector.

Remember, we have one of the best, if not the best, that the world has to offer. We can rightfully claim that we have magnificent beaches, diving resorts, forests, wide array of unique culinary choices, historic destinations and friendly people. But these natural assets that can excite and support a robust tourism arrival can be unduly overshadowed by a number of challenges that can stall the growth of the industry.

Airport taxi has some abusive drivers. I got complaints, not once, but for several times already, on how tourists have been asked to shell out more than what's reasonable. In other words, they paid more, and tourists knew that.