In line with the objective of the Department of Tourism (DOT) to develop a statistical system for the Local Government Units (LGUs) in the Philippines, the DOT and the Provincial Tourism Division of the Laguna Tourism, Culture, Arts & Trade Office (LTCATO) spearheaded a two-day Basic Tourism Statistics Training Seminar on March 16-17, 2011 at the Museo de Sta. Rosa Hall in Sta. Rosa City.
The speakers and lecturers in the statistics training were officers from the DOT namely Dir. Rolando Cañizal, Dir. Milagros Say, and Ms. Chit Mendoza. Along with the city/municipal tourism officers of Laguna and the private sector representatives, the officers of the Provincial Tourism Division were also participants in the training. Through the training, the DOT envisioned that the LGUs and the tourism establishments in the province can assess the projection of tourism trends and evaluate the tourists/visitors and arrival and eventually formulate tourism development plans in the province.
The participants in the training were tourism officers from LGUs of Pakil, Majayjay, San Pablo City, San Pedro, Calamba City, Los Baños, Bay, Rizal, Cavinti, and Nagcarlan and representatives from tourism establishments such as Tala Hotel, El Cielito Hotel, Anest Tower Hotel, Rockpoint Hotel, Technopark Hotel, Batis ng Liliw, Pagsanjan Falls Lodge, Riverview Resort, and Enchanted Kingdom.
The DOT also held an initial Basic Tourism Statistics Training last December 8-9, 2010 and a post training mentoring with the Provincial Tourism Division on July 18, 2011 at the DOT Building, T.M Kalaw St., Rizal Park, Manila. (Article by Ana Maria T. Tamban)