AS THE city continues to close it borders, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the Summer Capital lost P1.4 billion in possible revenue.

Magalong said peak months of the city is set from February onwards but since the closing of borders and restricted movements, losses in the tourism industry have ballooned to the billion-peso mark.

“There was even one month na P347 million lost potential gross income ng city, mataas na income natin ay the months of February, March and April,” Magalong said adding on an average, a tourist spends at least P2,700 on every visit.

Before the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine, cancellation of the city’s biggest crowd drawer, the Baguio Flower Festival signaled the snowballing of scrapped events for the entire year.

Tourism peaks during Panagbenga Festival, Holy Week and Christmas seasons.

Data from the City Planning and Development Office show there were 1,760,729 tourists in 2018 with a 15.7% increase from the recorded 1,521,748 tourist arrivals in 2017 while the accommodation establishments employ 2,963 individuals.

The mayor said the city is planning gradual opening of industries in the city in three phases: mitigation, transition and recovery after the enhanced community quarantine.

Magalong said an action plan has already been crafted to bring in needed boost for the industry which sustains thousands of jobs.

“We will be launching a movement and an AVP to launch the program and this is will be announced by the Tourism Council,” the mayor said plans for the city to recover are being handled by the private sector led by Baguio Tourism Council for a strategy to boost the city’s main industry.

Magalong estimates the city hopes to normalize its operation by September.

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