Now that we are in the New Normal, many MSMEs were able to bounce back slowly with their losses caused by the series of lockdown and Covid-19 restrictions. Tourism is now back and many business owners came up of various ways to promote their products and services with the immense power of technology and social media.
How can the tourism sector recover from its loss in the New Normal?
• The businesses should utilize digital solutions.
• The businesses together with the government should promote tourism via social media in a creative and positive way to attract tourists to visit the different destinations in our country.
• The businesses should plan the strict implementation of safety protocols and guidelines to ensure the safety of the travelers.
• MSMEs in the tourism sector should be properly trained on the said digitization
• Create programs or partnerships that would be beneficial for MSMEs.
Benefits of digitization in The Tourism Industry
- It is less expensive and more convenient compared to physical transactions.
- There is a possibility to reach more people using different social media platforms and tools.
There are a lot of benefits that we can get from digitization in the tourism sector; however, there is also a challenge for business owners who are not adept in digital technology.
UnionBank partners with Aboitiz to uplift the tourism sector
Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), the country’s leading banking partner of Filipino entrepreneurs, has teamed up with Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (AEV) for an initiative to ‘tech-up’ micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the tourism sector. The drive is part of UnionBank’s efforts to help entrepreneurs thrive in the digital economy, pushing its Tech-Up Pilipinas advocacy.
Technology-focused training for MSMEs
• UnionBank,through its MSME platform GlobalLinker (UBGL), together with AEV, will be offering technology-focused training courses to MSMEs who are with the Tourism Promotions Board (TBP) Membership Program.
• The said courses are designed to provide learning opportunities that will enable capacity-building and address various gaps in digital competencies for the tourism MSMEs.
“The country’s tourism sector was one of the hardest hit during this pandemic, which is why we want to offer additional training to help MSME owners in the sector, hone their digital entrepreneurship skills,” said Jaypee Soliman, UnionBank VP and SME & Micropreneurs Segment Head. “With this, not only will it become easier for them to acclimate to the growing digital economy, it will also help revitalize the tourism sector in general, and somehow the country’s economy.”
“Partnerships like this, where the private sector and the government join forces and work together, make great impact and clear results,” Christopher Camba, AEV First Vice President for Corporate External Relations said. “We are more than glad to share our expertise to the tourism industry MSMEs because we strongly believe that in order to achieve economic recovery, all stakeholders must collaborate. And in this case, building digital competencies is the way to go.”
Biyaheng Digiskarte: Angat Turismo Serye
• This is a webinar series, facilitated by experts in the field led by Eric Caeg, President and Founder of the Retail Academy Philippines (RAP).
• The initiative is part of UnionBank’s GoBeyond Communities, the Bank’s corporate social responsibility and employee volunteering program that encourages UnionBankers to support their personal advocacies through active participation in select projects benefitting chosen communities.
With the collaborative effort of UnionBank and AEV, the Philippine tourism sector can now expect to soar high in the new normal.
