Keep it wholesome and clean

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Managing Editor ANTONIETA B. LOPEZ Business Editor ODETTE MONTELIBANO Desk Editor MARY ANN BARCELONA Advertising Coordinator RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete

ANDRES R. LEONARDIA Managing Director

The report from the Bacolod City Tourism Office saying that the arrivals of foreign visitors in the city have reached a record high is very encouraging because the present thrust of the administration appears to be the development of the industry here.

It can be noted that the activities which the present administration has promoted or supported are those that are geared to attracting not only visitors, but also local residents who have relocated to other countries, as well as those from other provinces and cities who want to see more of the Philippines.

There was the MassKara Festival that, in the last two years, had drawn quite a number of visitors to Bacolod and gladdened the hearts of our local business groups, particularly the services sector. This was followed by the holding here of several events of the Southeast Asian Games that brought big delegations, not only of participating athletes, but also of their countries' officials and sports supporters. Aside from the body count right here, the exposure that Bacolod got from the coverage of the games via television and other media was immeasurable. The Games also gave a big boost to the hotel and restaurant industry in the city because their occupancies reached heights never attained before.

The celebration of the Chinese New Year in the city which is starting today, can be counted as a further boost to the tourism efforts of the city.

No one can ever discount the possibilities that tourism can bring to a developing area. We have examples of countries like Spain in Europe and Thailand and Indonesia in Asia, that have recovered and progressed so rapidly because of it. One thing we must guard against, however, is to keep the kind of tourism attractions we offer wholesome and clean. The pitfalls that could form from too much greed could never be compensated by any amount of material gains.*