Manila, Philippines - The former head of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) urged the government yesterday to create more jobs by boosting the country’s tourism industry through the promotion of new travel destinations and provision of needed infrastructure.

ECCP board adviser and past president Hubert D’Aboville said more jobs can be generated with the development of the tourism industry.

“How do we create more jobs? It is through tourism,” he said in an interview.

D’Aboville noted that the government is targeting to attract 10 million foreign tourists and 50 million local travelers by 2016.

“A huge number of people are going to move in the country. These tourists need to go to places where they will be well-received,” he said.

In order to develop the country’s tourism industry, he said the government should promote new tourist havens aside from Boracay, Puerto Galera and El Nido.

“We need to have many tourist attractions,” he added.

D’Aboville also called on the government to fast-track the improvement of infrastructure such as roads, sea ports and airports.

The government is investing in the development of secondary gateways, with the Manila International Airport now operating at 120 percent capacity, while the Mactan Cebu International Airport is exceeding its planned capacity.

“It (infrastructure) has to come now. We are very late,” D’Aboville said.

He said providing training to people working in tourism accommodation facilities such as resorts, hotels, boutiques as well as ports, airports could help boost tourism industry.

“The country must be tourist-friendly and the people will have to know how to treat the tourists,” D’Aboville said.

At least 1.2 million foreign tourists visited the country during the first quarter of the year. Last year, foreign tourist arrivals reached 4.273 million, up by 9.07 percent from 2011.

Source: The Philippine Star; Front Page; 1 May 2013