Wednesday, September 05, 2007 Group stresses Cebu’s potentials as wellness, shopping destination
CEBU'S attractiveness as a tourist destination is not only defined by its world-renowned beaches and resorts, it has also become a magnet for special interest tours.
National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (Naitas) president Angel Ramos Bognot said special interest tours are those involving diving, golf, pilgrimages, health and wellness, cuisines, and shopping.
While Cebu is popular as a leisure destination among foreign tourists, Bognot said tourism stakeholders see growing awareness of activities like pilgrimages, spas, shopping and heritage tours.
“Cebu is no longer about beaches. Many tourists have seen the other potentials of the province in terms of special interest tours,” she told Sun.Star Cebu on the sideline of the 888 News Forum at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu yesterday.
Religious tourism is a “growing prospective” in the local tourism industry since Cebu has been regarded as the seat of Christianity in the Philippines, said Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 Director Patria Aurora Roa.
Sto. Niño
“We have strong pilgrimage tours not only during Holy Week. (Have) you (seen) the Sto. Niño church every Friday? It’s packed with devotees, not only Cebuanos but Filipinos from all over the country and the world,” she told the news forum.
The Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu, the national shrine of the Holy Child of Cebu, is the center of religious activities in January, when Cebu City celebrates the feast of the Sto. Niño and holds the Sinulog celebration.
The image of the Holy Child has been regarded by many of its believers to be miraculous.
Bognot said, though, that when it comes to religious tourism, most of the tourists who come to Cebu are balikbayans and only a few are Europeans.
“They have so many of these pilgrimages and shrines in Europe,” Bognot said, adding that most European tourists opt to stay in Cebu’s beach resorts.
The Philippines is also becoming a shopping destination, luring many Asians.
“Asians, like Koreans and Japanese, love to go to the mall,” said Bognot, adding that garments and other goods sold in department stores here are at least twice cheaper than in Japan or in Korea.
Trade venue
But Bognot said for the Americans and Europeans, Cebu — with its famous furniture pieces and handicrafts — is a venue for trading rather than shopping.
As for developments in the health and wellness industry, the Philippines, unlike Thailand and Singapore, is still an emerging market, Bognot said.
While the country has the potentials to be a medical tourism destination, given the quality of medical professionals here, Bognot said “many things have to be in place” such as hospital and insurance accreditation.
She is optimistic, though, that the participation of four medical tourism buyers from Canada and North America in the Philippine International Tourism Fair (PITF) and the Philippine Travel Exchange (Phitex) will “contribute immensely” to the country’s positioning as a health and wellness preference.
Both events, which will open today until Sept. 7 at the Cebu International Convention Center, will gather around 150 European, American, Asian and Middle Eastern tour operators, corporate buyers, holiday specialists, tourism attaches and other foreign buyers from more than 25 countries.
During the fair, there will be discussions among foreign and local buyers as well as sellers. There will also be a trade show where domestic and international entities would showcase their tourist destinations. (MMM)
