The tagline was chosen by the tourism committee of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry together with other players of the tourism sector.
“After a series of brainstorming sessions, we finally decided to brand Cebu as ‘inspiring’ and a gateway to Asia. Why? Because faith has inspired us. We have so much faith on our people, our resources,” said Dr. Mila Espina, CCCI tourism committee chairperson.
Espina said that while other phrases such as “Lovely Cebu” were brought up during the sessions, the group chose “inspiring” since “it truly befits the Cebuanos’ character.”
Espina said the group, composed of CCCI tourism committee members, and officials of the Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 and Cebu Visitors and Convention Bureau (CVCB), presented the new branding tagline to Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano.
“He said he likes it,” said Espina of Durano’s reaction after the concept presentation.
She said that while the DOT used the theme “Cebu: Resort and Heritage” to market the province as a destination, CCCI and other tourism groups will continue to employ the new branding concept.
Culture, heritage
Espina said Cebu is more than the just festivals and a beach and leisure destination. It is also rich in culture and heritage, highlighting the Cebuanos’ “deep-seated” Christianity as an advantage.
“You see, we are the cradle of Christianity in Asia. Every tour package has to include the Sto. Niño Church with the image of the Sto. Niño as an icon. It has been a part of a tourist’s itinerary. This is our distinction over other Asian countries,” Espina said.
Espina said CCCI will formally unveil the “Inspiring Cebu, a gateway to Asia” brand immediately after the Cebu Business Month (CBM) 2007 in June.
But even before that, she said the chamber will already be actively promoting Cebu’s tourism industry during the three-month CBM 2007 road show in countries like Singapore, China, and Hong Kong.
In line with this new branding strategy, CCCI, in a memorandum of agreement, has tapped Barangays Sto. Niño, Pari-an, and Ermita in Cebu City as beneficiaries of the Promoting Regional Opportunities for Enterprise and Livelihood Development (Propel) project “community-based heritage tourism.”
The one-year Propel project is expected not only to increase local and foreign visitors to Cebu but to also provide livelihood opportunities and employment.
It is aimed at forming tourism cooperatives to develop micro entrepreneurs, conducting capacity-building seminars, strengthening networking and linkages, and creating a local tourism policy to sustain cultural heritage awareness. (MMM)
