DOT convincing LGUs, tourism players to focus on local cuisine as promotion

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Tourism is convincing local government units and tourism players in the country to also focus on the local cuisine as part of their tourism promotion package.

During her recent visit to the province for the 4th Municipal Tourism Assembly, Tourism Undersecretary Maria Victoria Jasmin emphasized that local delicacies are also a great factor for attracting tourists to visit a particular place.

“Just like what Indonesia, Malaysia and our other Asian countries are doing where they added their local cuisine, uniquely found in their country as part of their tourism promotion,” Usec Jasmin said.

“Promoting cuisine products will generate multi-million incomes for tourism,” added Jasmin.

Promotion of Filipino cuisine is said to further enhance and help to promote our cuisine popularity in global community and help tourists, foreign and local alike to enjoy and have a higher quality of culinary experience throughout the country.

Aside from generating income for the tourism key players, it is also said to generate additional job particularly among suppliers of agriculture, livestock, poultry and fishery products.

Local tourism players are of great help in this project to use cuisine as a tool in tourism promotion as they are the main operators of facilities that caters to the needs of visiting tourists, Jasmin said.

This program of the DOT is supported by DTI Regional Director Cynthia Nierras, saying that development and promotion of local cuisine is important for local government units, especially if they are embarking in the promotion of their local tourism industry.

“If we are going to serve food to our visitors, make sure that the food that we are presenting is presentable and is uniquely found in our locality,” said Nierras.

“We must not just serve them with foods that can be found in other areas or in fast food chain,” added Nierras.

“If the area is in a coastal area, therefore they should focus on the types of products that are found in their area which are the marine products,” Nierras said.

“Served them with your fresh marine products which is not found in urban areas for most tourists prefer their foods to be served in a most presentable and delicious way of cooking,” she added.

Nierras said that local government units must conduct a master listing of all local delicacies found in their areas in order to always have an ample supply of its raw ingredients. (ROEL AMAZONA)