Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco briefs South Korean tourism stakeholders about the Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT) priority thrusts to enhance local and international tourism experience. (Photo Courtesy: DOT) 

QUEZON CITY, (PIA) -- The construction of Tourist First Aid Facilities across the country will soon add to the flagship tourism infrastructure projects of the Department of Tourism (DOT) which aims to provide a safer and secure tourism experience for tourists. 

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco bared this initiative during a stakeholder meeting with South Korean travel and tourism partners in Seoul on Wednesday, May 8. 

“The safety of our tourists is our topmost priority,” said Frasco. 

The said facilities will primarily provide the necessary emergency first aid assistance and other medical attention to travelers in the event that they encounter accidents while on vacation in the country’s various tourism destinations. 

“The Tourist First Aid Facility will be equipped with skilled healthcare professionals who will have access to quick response resources to be able to attend to injuries and emergencies, enhancing the safety and peace of mind of our tourists while they travel,” she explained. 

The DOT, in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), is projecting to complete the construction of five (5) Tourist First Aid Facilities this year. 

This tourist safety-centered infrastructure project will be complemented by the construction of  hyperbaric chambers in the country’s key dive destinations including Puerto Galera, Boracay, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Camiguin. 

These will add to the existing 15 hyperbaric chambers across the country that cater to the safety medical services need of divers. 

“We believe that the safety and well-being of our diving community and our tourists is paramount, that is why we are committed to ensuring that every dive is not only a journey to the spectacular marine wonders of the Philippines, but also a safe one,”  Frasco further noted. 

The DOT’s close collaboration with South Korean tourism stakeholders is rooted in the importance of the foreign market as the Philippines’ top source of international tourist arrivals with a recorded sum of 1,989,322 arrivals in 2019. 

To date, the country has already welcomed 599,200 South Korean tourists which accounts for 26.86 percent share of the total foreign visitor arrivals. 

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“A cornerstone of our tourism strategy is the strengthening of international relationships through effective co-marketing and joint promotional efforts. Our partnership with Korean travel and trade partners is integral to our promotional strategy, enhancing the Philippines' visibility as a premier destination,” said the tourism chief, noting that the Philippines is expected to welcome 1.8 million to 2 million visitors from South Korea for 2024. 

The DOT’s initiative to uphold the safety of tourists is anchored on the overarching goal of elevating the tourism landscape of the Philippines. (DOT/PIA-NCR)