More long weekends in 2023 to boost local tourism, help MSMEs — DOT

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) is confident that more long weekends in 2023 will boost local tourism and benefit micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially in tourism hotspots.

The DOT made the statement in light of the issuance of Presidential Proclamation No. 90, which tweaked the schedule of non-working holidays to allow for nine long weekends next year.

READ: Marcos approves more long weekends

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco welcomed the proclamation, noting that this would “maximize domestic tourism in the country, cognizant of its significant contribution to the recovery of the local economy and the overall growth of the country’s tourism industry.”

“MSMEs stand to benefit from the extended weekends because the longer our tourists stay in a particular destination, the higher the likelihood that they will engage in tourism activities and spend on local products,” she said.

Frasco further noted that “the long weekends will definitely help spur economic activities, sustain tourism-related employment opportunities, and aid communities that are dependent on tourism.”

The DOT has surpassed its target of 1.7 million tourist arrivals in the Philippines as of November 14.

READ: Tourism a ‘driver’ to economy transformation – Marcos

The recovery of the tourism industry, a sector badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, is one of the priorities of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as he previously pointed out that this could be a “high potential driver for the transformation [of] the economy.” – Joshua Go, trainee

/MUF