The Regional Development Council (RDC) in the Cordillera enjoined all local government units (LGUs) in the region to actively participate in the annual Search for Best Cordillera Tourism Village initiated by the regional office of the Department of Tourism (DOT).
Under RDC-CAR Resolution No. 54, series of 2023, the region’s policy-making body anchored its decision on the position of the RDC Sectoral Committee on Economic Development during its meeting on February 22, 2023 that recognized the important role of tourism villages in ushering sustainable, responsible, equitable and participatory rural tourism development where it agreed to enjoin all LGUs to participate in the said search.
Earlier, the DOT-CAR, as the agency responsible for the development and promotion of the region’s tourism industry, initiated the conduct of the Search for Best Cordillera Tourism Village in November 2022, the very first competition of such nature to be held in the country.
The RDC-CAR stipulated that the Search for Best Cordillera Tourism Village is consistent with the pertinent provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9593 otherwise known as the Tourism Act of 2009 which identified the role of the State in developing responsible tourism as a strategy for environmentally sound and community participatory tourism programs, enlisting the participation of local communities, including indigenous peoples, in conserving bio-physical and cultural diversity, promoting environmental understanding and education, providing assistance in the determination of ecotourism sites and ensuring full enjoyment of the benefits of tourism by the concerned communities.
According to the RDC-CAR resolution, the Search for Best Cordillera Tourism Village recognizes the important role of tourism villages, which are identified by the United Nations–World Tourism Organization (UN-WTO) as outstanding examples of rural tourism destinations with recognized cultural and natural assets that preserve and promote the rural community-based values, products and lifestyle, and which have a clear commitment to sustainability in all its aspects, economic, social and environmental in its development of tourism as one of the drivers of rural development and community wellbeing.
Further, the said search advances community-based tourism towards empowering communities to manage tourism growth and achieve community aspirations relating to their wellbeing.
The 2022 search, as a recognition and awarding activity, generated 28 entries from the six provinces of the region with eight tourism villages awarded cash prizes, trophies and certificates as first placer, second placer, third placer and runners-up.
The RDC disclosed that the search shall be conducted as an annual activity to be initiated by the DOT-CAR to provide incentives to tourism villages that embrace sustainable tourism and provide opportunities for sustainable development in the different parts of the region.
Copies of the approved resolution will be transmitted to all the local governments in the region for their information, guidance, ready reference and further needed action.
