The Department of Tourism (DOT) conducted a regional tourism crisis management symposium yesterday at the Grand Xing Imperial Hotel in Iloilo City.

The event sought to identify risk factors that could lead to crisis for the local tourism industry; such causes include political turmoil, economic instability, social disturbance, technological attacks, and environmental hazards.

“The tourism crisis management symposium is one of the programs of [the] DOT- TRCRG (Tourism Regulation, Coordination, and Resource Generation) to provide ideas to participants about tourism crisis and on how to manage it effectively,” explained DOT-Region VI (DOT-6) director, Atty. Helen J. Catalbas. “Crisis management is important.”

“We have to sustain the upward trend of tourism in Western Visayas,” she added.

Speakers for the event included Fluor Daniel Inc.-Philippines Security and Business Continuity Manager Henry Teodoro Hernia, safety and security consultant Eugene Boco, and Office of Civil Defense-Region VI Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Division chief Ma. Aletha Nogra. Topics included how to draft an emergency or crisis management plan for the regional and local tourism industry, previous incidents that have impacted the tourism industry today, among others./WDJ