MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Philippine Hotel Owners Association Inc. (PHOA) formally unveiled a five-year roadmap designed to enhance the competitiveness, sustainable development, and expansion of the hotel sector in the country, DOT announced.
The launching of the Philippine Hotel Industry Strategic Action Plan (PHISAP) 2023-2028 at The Westin Manila last Wednesday (Oct. 16), has a “pivotal role” in the future of the Philippine tourism industry, the Tourism Department stated.
According to DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, the PHISAP was formulated through a collaborative process involving not only the DOT and PHOA but also a wide range of stakeholders, including government agencies, hotel operators, industry associations, and other key players in tourism; as well as Frasco’s “listening tours” two years ago.
“What is fresh in my mind is the listening tour that we conducted in the Department of Tourism where the PHOA brought this to my attention about two years ago. I’m honored by the fact that they have been very aggressive in partnering with the DOT, which has tried to meet their passion with equal commitment and devotion to seeing this through,” Frasco said.
Frasco also challenged the hotel sector by saying that there is a projected room demand of over 456,000 room keys by 2028.
“We have some catching up to do, and I’m very glad that with the aggressive investment of our hotel owners, as well as our partners in the tourism industry, we are well on our way to meeting that demand,” the DOT chief said.
Meanwhile, PHOA-Technical Working Group (TWG) on PHISAP Chairman Mr. Francis Gotianun highlighted the importance of collaboration between the DOT and PHOA.
“PHISAP marks a significant milestone as we work together to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of our hotel sector. We are truly honored to have contributed to a plan that addresses both the challenges we face today and the vast opportunities available within the tourism landscape. We resonate deeply with its emphasis on aligning our efforts towards national development, quality, sustainability, and customer satisfaction,” Gotianun stated.
PHOA President Arthur Lopez echoed this sentiment, sharing that the plan reflects years of collaboration between the DOT and PHOA aimed at addressing the industry’s long-term challenges and opportunities.
“The Board of Directors and members of the Philippine Hotel Owners Association are extremely delighted to finally witness the completion of the Philippine Hotel Industry Strategic Action Plan, or PHISAP. This blueprint for the Philippine hotel industry is a product of the sustained, vigorous collaborative efforts of PHOA and the Department of Tourism, which involved numerous consultations and discussions,” Lopez said.
“We've been working on this PHISAP for the last 10 years and finally, we've got the support of Secretary Frasco to work together with DOT. The first PHISAP we put together many years ago and, well, it just was something that was [gathering dust]. So, we're all very thankful to the Secretary for moving this forward,” Lopez added.
Lopez also mentioned PHISAP’s importance in providing clear guidance for hotel investment.
“As hotel owners and developers, we are among the biggest investors in the Philippine tourism industry. It is imperative for us to have a strategic plan that will guide us on where and what type of accommodation facilities to build. From an investor's perspective, we need to have a clearer picture of the destinations where market demand is projected to be strong. We also need to have a deeper understanding of the type of amenities and services that different travel segments are looking for so we can plan accordingly,” Lopez emphasized.
“The PHISAP will be the essential instrument and reference for us to make informed decisions. We are aware of the growth targets under the National Tourism Development Plan of 2023 to 2028, and we would like to contribute to achieving our shared goal for a more globally competitive and inclusive hotel industry,” Lopez shared.
