MORE than just beaches and city tours, Cebu has expanded its attractions with off-the-grid destinations, particularly in the southern part of the province, starting with Alcoy, Alegria, Aloguinsan, Boljoon, and Argao towns.
During the launching of the Big 5 last Friday evening in the Provincial Capitol, Cebu Provincial Tourism Officer Joselito “Boboi” Costas said these community-based eco-tourism sites are envisioned to market Cebu as a unique destination, more than just a handful of pretty beaches.
“People are looking Cebu as a mass tourism destination, but with the Big 5, we are slowly shifting toward a more sustainable, more green kind of tourism, a destination that will probably work for discerning travelers and tourists,” Costas told reporters.
The Big 5 destinations are the Birding Tour and Nature Trek in Alcoy, Farm to Table Tour in Alegria, Bojo River Cruise in Aloguinsan, Heritage Walk in Boljoon, and Culinary Journey in Argao.
For approximately P6,000 per guest, one can experience these towns for three days and two nights, inclusive of accommodation, food, and transportation, according to Costas, although the pricing may still change.
Costas said the demand for nature-based or ecotourism has been on the rise, with more environmentally-conscious travelers making sustainability part of their criteria for deciding where to go and what to do.
“Generally, the nature-based or ecotourism market is big. In fact, it’s one of the markets in the tourism industry that is constantly growing because people are now more mindful of green travel, sustainable travel,” he observed.
Costas led the revival of the Bojo River in Aloguinsan, which is considered today as one of the world’s top 100 sustainable destinations by Green Travel, joining the ranks of the Niagara Falls in Canada, Cape Town in South Africa, and Jackson Hole and Yellowstone National Park the United States.
“The five destinations that we have chosen are destinations that are really off the grid, and they are unique. Aside from the fact that they have functioning community-based associations, each of the five destinations has its own unique offer,” he said.
Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 from January to April 2017 showed that Cebu welcomed 1.497 million travelers during those months, or an increase of 4.16 percent from the same period last year.