MANILA — The Department of Tourism inked a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority to further boost sports tourism in the country.
Under the MOU, sports facilities of the BCDA will be used to invite international sports organizations to host events in the Philippines. This includes the facilities built for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, which the country hosted.
“In recent years, the Department of Tourism has taken deliberate steps to develop sports tourism as part of our broader tourism development strategy, working with partners across government and private sector,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said.
“This is to ensure international competitions and major sporting events translate into visitor arrivals, destination exposure, and most importantly, economic opportunity for local community,” she added.
The Philippines recently hosted the Philippine Women’s Open, its first-ever WTA 125 tournament.
It is also currently hosting the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
Frasco said New Clark City has a pivotal role in this endeavor, as it is home to several facilities that can host international events.
“With its modern sports facilities and its integrated development, it is well positioned to strengthen the Philippines role in sports tourism,” she said.
BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang said the partnership will enable the Philippines to be the hub of sports programs around the world.
“Today, we are having this partnership to further develop the facilities for sports excellence as engines for regional growth,” Bingcang said.
“We are aligning event hosting with visitor experience, and we are aligning sports development to economic opportunity,” he added.
Frasco touted tourism in the Philippines has been a major driver in the Southeast Asian economy.
“The Philippines now contributes the largest scale in tourism economic value in Southeast Asia, generating over $90 billion for the regional economy and supporting more than 11 million Filipino jobs,” she said.
