CEBU CITY - Apart from providing world-class hotel and resort accommodations, Cebu's readiness for the influx of more tourists will be judged according to the availability of public toilets in far flung areas, tourism stakeholders here said.
"There is an urgent need for more public toilets, especially when promoting countryside tourism," said Department of Tourism (DoT) consultant Phineas Alburo.
Alburo said the need for clean and accessible public toilets is "crucial" based on the previous experience of the Suroy-suroy sa Sugbo (Suroy-suroy), a tourism project initiated by the Cebu provincial government, in partnership with the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), aiming to promote rural tourism and entrepreneurship.
Alburo cited the experience of some tourists who joined the event, wherein the latter narrated that they had to make do with public toilets in gasoline stations and, in some cases, had to approach private households since there were no public toilets available.
However, he said tourism stakeholders have already held talks with the Cebu provincial government in identifying key municipalities in the northern and southern part of the province where communal toilets will soon be in place.
Among these areas are popular tourist spots that include Carcar, Dalaguete, Boljoon and Santander in the south, as well as Danao, Carmen, Sogod, Daan Bantayan and Bantayan Island in the north.
Alburo also urged the public sector to encourage people in these municipalities to put up convenient stores and other tourism-related investments like bed and breakfast inns, or small resort-type facilities.
Developing tourism entrepreneurship, especially outside the metropolitan district, is one of the objectives of this year's Cebu Business Month (CBM) Tourism Congress happening later this month.
Espina, who is the chairperson of the CBM Tourism Congress, said tourism has gone beyond the usual concept of beaches and landmarks but is now redefined to include the citizenry, culture, spirituality, and the environment.
"This is what CBM intends to promote, that Cebu is beyond beaches, it is rich in culture and spirituality. Now, tourism players, including those in the countryside must also be aware of how they can capitalize on the environment to promote 'green tourism,"' she said in a separate interview
