THE Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has begun seeking partnerships with the Philippine travel trade for halal and pilgrimage tourism, offering new programmes for Maguindanao and the islands of Tawi-Tawi.
The Maguindanao programme showcases the highlands of Upi with its caves, waterfalls and Tiruray ethnic community, while Tawi-Tawi highlights its beaches and Muslim pilgrimage site Sheik Makhdum mosque built in 1380.
“The (Upi) culture is preserved. People behave the way they were doing one hundred years back, growing organic food like rice and corn,” said Marites Maguindra, DoT regional cabinet secretary for the ARMM.
Speaking at the Philippine Tour Operators Association’s 25th Philippine Travel Mart held September 5-7, Maguindra said with the involvement of the private sector, these new programmes sold by three Maguindanao operators are ARMM’s way of using tourism as a “bridge of peace”.
She acknowledged that safety remains a concern in ARMM, known for intermittent clan warfare and kidnaps for ransom.
Two European bird-watching tourists visiting Tawi-Tawi were kidnapped in 2012 and have not been freed to date.
However, ARMM has been developing a Top Cop programme similar to that already in place in Boracay and Bohol for the safety of tourists, Maguindra assured, adding that the region is already seeing Malaysian visitors.
“There is a real demand for halal products and services. Look at Malacca, which has seen Arab investments and tourism growth. Their products and services are compliant with the halal standard,” she noted.
Standard economy accommodations are available in ARMM, which has seen 45 per cent growth in tourism investments in the last two years. Tawi-Tawi now has 12 beach resorts in Bongao and another on the way.
ARMM is in a period of transition as the Philippine government moves to promulgate a Bangsamoro Basic Law, which creates a new bangsamoro (Muslim people) state, a measure aimed at quelling longstanding unrest in the region.
