|
Wednesday, June 04, 2003
Tourism figures post slight hike
FOREIGN tourists arrival in Cebu increased 6.39 percent during the first quarter this year, compared to the same period last year, records from the Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 show.
While the number of tourists from North America dropped by 19.6 percent and Europe declined by 8.78 percent, visitors from East Asia increased by 9.46 percent while those from South Asia increased by 21.92 percent.
DOT records, based on records from resorts, hotels, air and sea ports, show a total of 73,454 foreign travelers visited Cebu in the first quarter of this year, compared to the 69,042 travelers who visited the island during the same period last year.
DOT also listed 143,102 domestic travelers for the same period, a slight hike from last year’s 141,376.
The drop in tourist arrivals in March, sparked by the health scare over Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars), was offset by the number of tourists that arrived in January and February.
Among the biggest drop in tourist arrivals was recorded for visitors from Hong Kong, which declined 51.95 percent to 2,638 tourists from last year’s 5,490. Visitors from Korea increased 43.87 percent to 18,118 from last year’s 12,593.
DOT 7 Director Patria Aurora Roa blames the Sars outbreak and the problem in Mindanao for the slow growth in tourism figures. She said that even if the Philippines has been declared Sars-free by the World Health Organization (WHO), many foreigners are still reluctant to visit the Asian region because of the presence of Sars cases in some countries in the area.
Roa said they see tourism figures improving once Hong Kong, Singapore and other Asian countries are declared Sars-free. Lalaine Go STC Masscom intern
(June 4, 2003 issue)
Want Sun.Star news on your mobile phone? Click here.
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[ return
to top ]
[ home
]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
