MARAWI CITY (PIA) -- Members of the Lanao del Sur Provincial Tourism, Culture and Arts Council (PTCAC) engaged in a productive conversation to find practical solutions to the challenges faced by the tourism industry in the province.
During the PTCAC's first semester meeting on Wednesday, May 29, one of the key issues identified was the inadequacy of tourism data collection, impeding an accurate assessment of the industry's economic impact on the province.
Tourism Operations Officer Yusop Saaban of the Provincial Tourism, Culture, and Arts Office (PTCAO) revealed that among the 40 local government units (LGUs) in Lanao del Sur, only 15 have submitted data to their office. Additionally, they received reports from only four out of 20 provincial accommodation establishments.
Saaban, however, noted a rise in tourist and visitor arrivals, with numbers increasing from 145,945 in the previous year to 158,279 in 2023. Notably, most visitors were recorded in the municipality of Wao, attributed to diligent reporting by the LGU Wao.
PTCAC chairperson Sittie Aisha Baicon Cayongcat-Nuska stressed the necessity of refining documentation and data capture processes, emphasizing that the absence of documented tourist arrivals does not imply a lack of incoming visitors.
Despite anticipated challenges, she emphasized the importance of learning from the municipality of Wao's documentation methods to progress.
"We have establishments here in the province, the city, the MSU [Mindanao State University], and even the BARMM offices are frequently visited. But as to how do we report this, yun ang idadagdag sa ways forward - how can we learn from the municipality of Wao on their documentation? It may be quite challenging, nevertheless, we still should learn from them," she recommended.
The PTCAO has initiated training sessions for tourism officers on utilizing and administering data collection forms recommended by the Department of Tourism under the Standard Local Tourism Statistics System (SLTSS). To date, 43 stakeholders, comprising selected tourism officers and private accommodation establishments have undergone training in using these forms.
Marawi City Tourism Officer Princess Tarhata P. Mangotara confirmed this and lauded the PTCAO for the guidance and support throughout the process.
She noted that previously, there was minimal to no submission of tourist arrival data in the city. Her office has also proactively engaged with tourism establishments. However, before this, they needed to determine which tourism establishments should be responsible for collecting tourist data, a process guided by the PTCAO.
In addition to data collection concerns, the council members tackled proposed programs, projects, and activities to capitalize on the province's tourism potential. Furthermore, they discussed the benefits and process of accrediting tourism facilities. (APB/PIA-10 Lanao del Sur)
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| Sittie Aisha Baicon Cayongcat-Nuska, chairperson of the Provincial Tourism, Culture, and Arts Council, clarified that the absence of documented tourist arrivals does not necessarily mean that no tourists or visitors are coming in. She underscored the importance of improving documentation and data capture processes, considering that various establishments in Lanao del Sur and Marawi City re frequently visited. (Photo by DCC/PIA-10) |
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