Thursday, May 08, 2008
DOT: Koreans still lead list of ’08 arrivals
KOREANS remain to be the top tourist market of Cebu this year, although January-February arrivals show a decrease compared to the same period in 2007.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) reported that 35,677 tourists from South Korea visited Cebu from January to February
this year, compared to 41,828 in the same two-month period in 2007.
The Japanese comes second in terms of arrival numbers with 28,051 in January to February, a 6.3 percent increase over last year’s 26,430.
Tourist arrivals from Taiwan have the highest growth rate of 292.65 percent, with 12,062 compared to 3,072 in January-February 2007.
Tourists arrivals from Denmark also grew more than 100 percent but those from Indonesia decreased by 70.60 percent.
Arrivals from Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, India, United States, Austria, Italy, Spain, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries also decreased.
Overseas Filipinos visiting Cebu also increased by 338.70 percent to 1,961 this year from 447 in 2007.
Meanwhile, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) reported an increase of domestic and international passengers in Cebu.
The MCIAA recorded a total of 353,026 domestic passenger arrival in the first quarter of this year, 12 percent above that of the same period in 2007, which was at 310,227, and seven percent above the target of 325,738.
International passenger arrival at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport also increased to 128,994 in the first quarter of this year compared to 112,772 in the same period last year. The first quarter 2008 figure is seven percent above the target of 120,666 passengers.
Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano earlier said the traffic of international airline passengers is increasing by 20 percent per year, which stresses the need for the airport to improve and expand its facilities.
The DOT aims to attract one million foreign domestic visitors by 2012. It also envisions Cebu to be the gateway hub to central and southern Philippines. (Tawny Gwynne M. Estolloso, STC Mass Comm Intern)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 8, 2008 issue)
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