Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco on Tuesday promised to double efforts and create more innovative programs to boost Philippine tourism following her retention by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Frasco is among the Cabinet secretaries whose courtesy resignations were rejected by the Chief Executive.

“It is a privilege to work under his visionary leadership and to contribute to the administration’s goals of revitalizing the tourism industry, creating jobs and promoting the Philippines as a top-of-mind destination,” she said in a statement.

“With this renewed commitment, I will continue to push for innovative programs to build gains for the industry and gainful livelihood for the Filipino people who rely on tourism,” she added.

The Department of Tourism (DOT), Frasco said, will promote destinations equally and ensure no place is left behind.

Frasco submitted her courtesy resignation on May 22 after Marcos announced a bold reset to recalibrate his Cabinet.

Various tourism organizations were quick to throw their support behind Frasco, including the Pacific Asia Travel Association, Philippine Tour Operators Association, Tourism Industry Board Foundation Inc., National Association of Independent Travel Agencies, Global Tourism Business Association, and Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines.

Leading hotel owners’ group Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) and DOT employees also rallied behind the DOT chief.

In a letter to Frasco, the PHOA acknowledged her steadfast support to the industry’s legacy projects.

PHOA president Arthur Lopez said the DOT under Frasco made “significant milestones that have strengthened the country’s position as a premier destination for travelers worldwide.”

He thanked the Tourism chief for the agency’s partnership in organizing the Philippine Tourism and Hotel Investment Summit 2024, which also gave birth to the Philippine Hotel Industry Strategic Action Plan (PHISAP) 2023–2028.

The plan “sets a clear roadmap for the strategic and sustainable growth in the hotel industry in support of the goals of the National Tourism Development Plan,” Lopez said.

Under the five-year PHISAP roadmap, the Philippines should be able to meet the demand of over 456,000 room keys in compliance with its six strategic pillars: target, time, tourist route, trust, technology and talent.

Lopez also thanked Frasco for the collaboration between the PHOA and the DOT in updating the National Accommodation Standards, also known as the Star Rating, which he said would ensure “hotels remain globally competitive in the international market.” (PNA)