Frankfurt, Germany — The Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt, represented by Consul General to Frankfurt Evelyn D. Austria-Garcia and the Department of Tourism Office, participated in the German-Asian Business Circle’s (DAW) “Top Destinations in Asia” tourism event at the Sheraton Hotel in Offenbach, Hesse on July 15, 2019.
Focused on selected Asian countries, the activity has served as a platform for the Philippines to showcase its tourist destinations and address travelers’ concerns in front of approximately 100 participants from private sector, the Consular Corps, local government, media, academe, tour operators and travel agencies.
Event guest speaker Dr. Norbert Noisser of the Hessian Economic Ministry’s Department of Foreign Trade emphasized Hesse’s international character in view of the state economy’s reliance on foreign trade, Frankfurt’s pre-eminence as a transport and logistics hub, and abundance of trade fairs. He underscored Hesse’s commitment to globalization and multilateral exchanges.
“The Philippine Government would not promote areas that would be considered unsafe,” Consul General Austria-Garcia said in a panel discussion which tackled travelers’ safety and security considerations, among other topics. Insofar as natural disasters are concerned, “the country has existing bodies that oversee preparations in the event of calamities”.
She also reiterated the country’s commitment to combat climate change and its impacts, as well as the current administration’s efforts toward sustainable tourism, as exemplified by the clean-up drive in Boracay.
A presentation on the Philippines’ tourism industry and key travel sites was made by Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT)-Frankfurt Director Margarita Valdes, highlighting the tourism industry’s importance to the Philippine economy, including its contribution to the country’s gross domestic product and national employment. Ms. Valdes also noted the country’s air accessibility, with several routes through selected Middle Eastern and Asian countries.
Other participating countries in the tourism event included Nepal, Bangladesh, India and Indonesia.
Founded in 1995, DAW consists of a network of over 1,900 companies and institutions whose stated aim is “to foster friendship, build bridges and facilitate economic cooperation between Asian countries and Germany.”
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