BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance tasking the City Administrator’s Office through the Tourism and Special Events Division to provide for the design of the city’s tourism brand and installation of the tourism branding markers to serve as new tourism landmarks in the city and allocating the amount of P200,000 or so much thereof for the said purpose.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Elaine D. Sembrano states that the Tourism and Special Events Division may tap on the expertise of the schools in the city or tourism specialists, as well as the public and private sectors, in the design of the city’s tourism brand.
The ordinance stipulates the prototype design of the tourism brand shall first be presented to the City Mayor and the local legislative body for review and approval prior to the construction and installation of the desired markers in strategic areas around the city, which shall also be presented for the information of local officials.
The ordinance claims that tourists and residents should be able to take photos with the city’s tourism branding marker without causing obstruction to vehicular traffic and convenience to pedestrians.
The ordinance proposes the allocation of some P200,000 or so much thereof from available local funds to cover the cost of the design, construction, if to be constructed by the departments or offices of the city, and installation of the branding markers or signages.
According to the proposed local legislative measure, the construction of the branding markers may also be outsourced as may be allowed by the city’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC).
Further, the city’s local finance committee shall issue the certificate of availability of funds for the said purpose to ensure the appropriate utilization of the funds.
Republic Act (RA) 9503 or the Tourism Act of 2009 provided that the State shall seek to create a favourable image of the country thereby strengthening the country’s attractions as tourist destinations and eventually paving the way for other benefits that may result from a positive global view of the country.
The ordinance notes the tourism industry has become a big business that the market has become broader, changing rapidly, and is now more competitive, thus, local government units must stand out to draw the interest and attend to the demands of tourists for something new.
The ordinance asserts tourism branding was identified as a major factor in gaining attention and motivating tourists to visit a place and it is because of such that more and more tourist destinations gear up their branding to help enhance experiences and attract more visitors.
The ordinance states that many cities and municipalities in the country have also been using tourism branding such as the ‘I love name of local government units’ markers installed in strategic areas in their areas of jurisdiction and the same have been found to be very successful by tourism specialists as indicative of tourists having numerous photos taken at the said markers and visitors commonly asking where the tourism brand markers of the places they visit are located.
By Dexter A. See