June Samara G.

Lofranco

GTHPCGEO-BSTM211C

In the International Conference of ASEAN Mutual Recognition

Arrangement on Tourism Professionals, centring about embracing
the new normal. They talked about the projections and were
forecasting when the countries will get back to its pre COVID
days for hotel accommodations and occupancy. Mr. Boncato, Jr. the
undersecretary of the Philippine Department of Tourism precisely
stated and explained from the very main issues and problem and
how it affects the segments of the tourism industry up to
solution they came up with.

Mr. Boncato, Jr. stated that, in terms of response, the

Department of Tourism has acted immediately in looking after the
welfare in thousands of tourists stranded all over the
Philippines when the country decided to have a lockdown. Despite
his statement that the Department of Tourism has acted
immediately on the matter, I believe that there were still a lot
of tourists and travelers were stranded. The lack of assistance
made the tourists and travelers in some areas were in pinch.
Despite my suppositions that the action was not efficaciously
fast, I could still say that it has accomplished an aim and
purpose.

The International Conference of ASEAN Mutual Recognition

Arrangement on Tourism Professionals has been a huge success. The
tourism response and recovery plan to COVID-19 was well
presented. It gave me a clear idea of the plans and on how to
embrace the new normal.