Make it easy, safe for tourists to explore Cebu, gov’t asked

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

WARNING tourists that dangers lurk outside of hotels may backfire on the industry’s goal to increase arrivals.

“Tourists want to explore. But that’s almost impossible to do in Cebu,” said honorary British Consul Moya Jackson.

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During the 21st Tourism Congress, Jackson said tourists noticed that they are told it is dangerous to go out of the hotels, that they should refrain from wearing jewelry or that their bags could be snatched.

If these warnings do not dissuade them from going to see the markets, she said they are hounded by beggars, vendors and public transportation drivers when they do go out.

Walk around

Jackson clarified that she did not want to bring down Cebu, but said this has to be addressed.

“Something must be done so that tourists can walk around. They want to walk around,” Jackson pointed out.

Russian honorary consul Armi Garcia agreed, saying markets should also be tourist-friendly because tourists want to see everything a country has to offer, including things that locals buy every day.

Garcia said there are many things that local stakeholders can address, saying Russian
tourists love to interact with locals.

Garcia suggested that besides those working in the industry, people in the community should be made aware of their roles.

She said families, barangay tanods and owners and workers of establishments around the Lapu-Lapu Shrine, for example, should understand their roles.

“How many of them know the history of Lapu-Lapu?” she asked.

Concerns about tour information was raised, as many participants said options are not very well disseminated.

Amale Jopson of Aegis People Support said information such as how to find the bus to get to a certain destination are crucial channels of information that promote tourism.

For tourists who have families living in Cebu, they have the advantage of getting to these areas. Jopson said those who came here on their own do not know about many attractions or cannot go there because they do not know how to get there.

Sun.Star Cebu travel editor Kristin Lerin, who was one of the panelists, said there should be tour programs that would allow tourists to do other things besides going to the beach or shipping them off to a day tour of Bohol.

She said tourists should be able to entertain themselves without relying on their hosts.

Another participant shared that while he enjoys the resorts in Mactan, there is not much to do outside of the resorts.

While he wanted to go out and see what else the island had to offer, the street outside was very dark and there was not much for him to do.

Cecille Saa of Blue Horizons Travel said that Cebu City is actually one of the safest places in Cebu and that foreigners are not victimized by crime every day.

Bad experience

However, former Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Sabino Dapat, who is the honorary consul of Norway, said bad experiences that happen to foreigners discourage them from coming back.

He cited the experience of Erik Berger, who was accused in the death of six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique and was detained for several days before he was cleared of the charges.

Dapat said the police should be careful to make sure they have the right person and not be hasty.