Laoag City—In
a bid to sustain standardized and systematic province-wide tourism operations, Ilocos
Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc released a memorandum on January 8, 2020
ordering all city and municipal mayors to ensure that the Department of Tourism
(DOT) has accredited all tourism enterprises in the province.
In the memorandum, Mr. Manotoc said all city and
municipal mayors “are hereby directed to observe and strictly enforce the
Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 9593 or the 'Tourism Act
of 2009', mandating primary tourism enterprises (PTEs) to secure accreditation
from the DOT as a requirement for the issuance of license or permit to operate.”
To guarantee the “reliability and legitimacy” of
tourism-related services in the country, the DOT accreditation is a
certification issued to tourism enterprises to officially recognize that they are
compliant with the minimum standards for the operation of tourism facilities
and services.
As key players in monitoring and administering tourism
activities in their respective jurisdictions, local government units have the
authority to give chance to noncompliant PTEs to rectify their lapses. However,
failure to comply with such shall lead to the revocation of license or permit,
causing the cessation of tourism enterprises.
PTEs include travel and tour services; land, sea and air
transport services exclusively for tourist use; accommodation establishments;
convention and exhibition organizers; and tourism state management services,
among others.
In 2018, the province reportedly recorded an estimated
total of three million tourist arrivals. As one of its economic source powerhouses,
tourism activities continue to sustain the livelihood of a large number of
Ilokanos. (PGIN-CMO)
Comments
Post a Comment