By Maria Asumpta Estefanie C. Reyes
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (PIA) — The Department of Tourism (DOT) has outlined strategic initiatives to further enhance tourism growth in Central Luzon.
During the third episode of the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas of the Philippine Information Agency for 2025, DOT Regional Director Richard Daenos emphasized the importance of the Regional Tourism Development Plan (RTDP) in filling the gap between national and local tourism strategies.
He shared that the DOT has already begun rolling out the RTDP across the region, covering the provinces of Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Pampanga, Bataan, Bulacan, and Olongapo City, with Tarlac scheduled for rollout within the week.
Daenos also highlighted the agency’s collaboration with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) in formulating the RTDP.
“TIEZA will fund [the RTDP], but as I have said a while ago, we already had the rolling out of the program. So, we are already in the first phase. Hopefully, this will be completed before the end of the year. So, we’re just going to pause for a few days during the election. And then, we’re going to pursue it again,” he stated.
Beyond the RTDP, the DOT is focusing on increasing foreign tourist arrivals in the region by targeting emerging markets.
Daenos said the agency has introduced Central Luzon as a destination to India, recognizing its vast population as a potential source of visitors.
Additionally, the DOT is developing new tourism products, including faith tourism in celebration of the Jubilee Year.
The Philippine Experience Program is also being extended to Nueva Ecija and Aurora to promote cultural immersion and experiential travel.
Daenos underscored that these initiatives will be part of ongoing developments and will further expand the agency’s existing tourism portfolio.
To improve tourism services, the DOT is set to implement the Accreditation Inspection Monitoring System, which will ensure quality standards among tourism establishments.
As part of its convergence initiatives, the agency is also strengthening partnerships with various government agencies to promote tourism through collaborative efforts.
Furthermore, the DOT is engaging with local industries to foster tourism growth, and revitalizing the Tourism Recognition for Enterprises and Stakeholders or TRES Awards to recognize outstanding contributions to the tourism sector.
“All these things make it more exciting in Central Luzon because we would like to create more stories, and these stories will be, of course, our way to make them feel that tourism is really alive,” he furthered.
With these strategic directions, the DOT remains optimistic about the continuous development of tourism in Central Luzon. (CLJD/MAECR, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)
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