The Davao Tourism Association (DATA) is envisioning to transform Davao City into a tourism powerhouse of the Philippines this year through what it calls as “the three Es” — empower, engage, and elevate.
Newly-installed DATA president Nicole Hao Bian-Ledesma said empowerment of members through professional development and capacity building programs is at the center of unlocking the full potential of our industry.
She said it is essential that tourism professionals have the knowledge, skills, and attitude to provide high-value tourist experiences.
“Coming from a strong academe background and my experiences in the industry, I see it very important to collaborate with educational institutions and industry experts to provide members with relevant information, market insights, and industry trends,” she said in her speech during DATA’s installation of new officers and board of trustees ceremony on Monday at Park Inn by Radisson Davao.
Ledesma said these collaborations will allow DATA to deliver impactful learning experiences that will empower the members to deliver world-class hospitality.
Ledesma stressed that member engagement is at the heart of a happy and vibrant association and to promote member engagement, DATA will have more meaningful meetings where members and officers can share best practices, discuss industry insights, solve challenges together, and also network and build relationships.
“Each one of you has a voice, a powerful voice that can help us shape the future of Davao’s tourism industry. With continued dialogue and collaboration, we can create a vibrant and dynamic association built on trust, tradition, and innovation,” she said.
She said it is also important to elevate the association, businesses, and the tourism industry as a whole.
“We have to recognize that our successes in the past have always been because of the active collaborations of members and stakeholders both in the private and public sectors. Our common vision to elevate our industry creates an environment where there is a place for everyone, where we support each other’s businesses, celebrate each other’s successes but also extend help when it is needed,” she said.
She added that to elevate the tourism industry of Davao City, it is also imperative that DATA will champion sustainability, responsible tourism, and hospitality technology and innovations.
“There is no escaping anymore. More than a trend or a byword, it is now a requirement that tourism players worldwide need to be more conscious and responsible so we ensure a better future for the generations to come. Moreover, we need to adapt to new technologies and practices that can make our industry more responsive and resilient,” she said.
The City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) has set a target of 1.8 million tourist arrivals for this year, 2.5 million for 2024, and 2.7 million for 2025 in Davao City.
“With the resounding success of MICECON last March and many MICE-related activities in the pipeline, I am confident that Davao can surpass its targets,” Ledesma said.
She is referring to the Philippine M.I.C.E.Conference (MICECON) held in Davao City in March this year, which was attended by over 600 participants from the tourism and business events sector.
The MICECON 2023 is the country’s largest gathering of Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) professionals, bringing together a unique mix of local and foreign delegates in the MICE industry to learn about the various global trends on business meetings, witness the beautiful scenery of the premier city of the south, and invite them to network with both local and international MICE experts.
