TOURISM Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco cited the vital role of Mindanao in the Philippines' tourism transformation as she spoke during the second Mindanao Tourism Expo (MTEx) in Cagayan de Oro City on Friday, April 26.

"The Mindanao Tourism Expo is a flagship program of the Marcos administration that recognizes the massive potential of Mindanao to help the Philippines accomplish the President's vision of transformation, making the country Asia's next tourism powerhouse," Frasco said.

"Mindanao is a key to achieving success in tourism," she added.

Secretary Frasco specified the unrivaled sights, delectable cuisine, rich and diverse culture, biodiversity, and warmth and hospitality of people across the provinces of Mindanao, saying that one of the first things she saw as a priority when she took over as DoT chief was the full opening, promotion and development of Mindanao.

"While we continue to promote our award-winning and well-known destinations, we ensure that no one is left behind in the development of tourism in the Philippines, which is precisely why we have mounted the Mindanao Tourism Expo — to provide opportunities for our destinations in this region and to open the eyes of the Philippines to the beauty of Mindanao," Frasco said.

She also stated that, in addition to the exposition component, which is attended by various sectors across the Philippines in order to encourage domestic tourism, the three-day MTEx includes business-to-business, business-to-consumer, and post-familiarization tours.

In accordance with the Marcos administration's National Tourism Development Plan 2023-2028, the DoT has prioritized the most fundamental components of the country's tourism development, such as infrastructure, connectivity, digitalization, improving tourist experience, and strengthening tourism governance among public and private tourism stakeholders.

Secretary Frasco noted that the DoT has launched Tourist Rest Areas across the Philippines, including Mindanao, to improve the overall visitor experience, which the President deemed urgent.

In order to enhance tourism governance, the DoT has created the Tourism Champions Challenge, which aims to reward sustainable, inclusive and resilient tourism initiatives in local government units, including five in Mindanao.

The department created the Philippine Experience Program, a nationwide cultural tourism product development project that aims to highlight everything there is to appreciate about the Philippines in all areas of travel and tourism.

"There is much reason to be hopeful and optimistic for the future of tourism all over the country," Frasco ended.