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Thursday, August 23, 2007
Tourism targets 1 million visitors
CEBU CITY (Updated 5:04 p.m.) -- In response to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's target of making Central Philippines as a tourism mega-region, the Tourism department drafted a program for Cebu to garner one million foreign visitors in 2012.
However, to implement this Cebu vision, Tourism Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano cited several factors that need to be addressed like Cebu's heavy traffic problem, air and water pollution, dirty environment and bad roads.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
Durano said the Cebu vision is actionable, doable, easy and does not require "too much of strength." Durano presented the Cebu framework to implement the 2012 vision.
Speaking before the Sun.Star Economic Forum 2007 at the Marco Polo Hotel, Durano said Thursday the growth of Cebu's tourism industry has been consistently impressive. It has grown an average of 14.33 percent over the last three years.
Tourist arrivals increased by 13.25 percent in early 2007 compared to the 11.57 percent for the same period of 2006.
To meet this vision, Durano said Cebu needs to broaden its product base by enhancing its global appeal and status.
A survey was conducted asking outbound foreign tourist to rate Cebu's tourism facilities. The hotels, resorts, domestic airports and shopping malls were rated good, while the seaports and inter-island transport were rated as average, Durano said.
The same survey showed that hotel personnel, customs officers, and resort personnel were rated excellent to good, while immigration officers and taxi drivers were rated as good.
Foreign outbound tourists also rated the Cebu people's warm hospitality and kindness, and beautiful scenery and nice beaches as excellent to good, while prices of commodities and Cebu's nightlife were rated as good.
The survey also showed that foreign outbound tourists disliked the heavy traffic, air and water pollution and dirty environment, bad roads and delays in service.
To address these concerns, Cebu should target an excellent rating and not just be satisfied with a good or average grade, Durano said.
Cebu also needs to develop and improve its tourism offerings for identified target segments, build and maintain a variety of activities and promote Cebu as a value-for-money destination.
Further, Cebu needs to expand its terminal capacity by almost three times -- to accommodate 4.5 million more travelers per year.
Cebu also needs to double room inventory by 2010.
Durano said Russia and India are emerging markets that could be tapped. The industry can go beyond the traditional top travelers like Korea, Japan and the US.
He said Cebu needs to aggressively position itself as a destination for international meetings.
Cebu will play host next month to a travel exchange expo, the first time the event would be held outside of Manila. (Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (August 23, 2007 issue)
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