DUMAGUETE City has reported that tourist arrivals grew by nearly 20 percent in 2019 compared to 2018, while hotel occupancy rate also hiked by 10 percent in the same period based on data provided by 70 hotels in the city.
Dumaguete City Tourism Officer Jacqueline Antonio said that in 2019, about 845,612 tourists visited the city, which is significantly higher than the reported 706,689 in 2018.
Nearly 60,000 of these were foreign tourists while the rest are Philippine residents.
In 2018, average occupancy rate of hotels and resorts stood at 76 percent, and in 2019, the occupancy rate rose to 86.4 percent, which does not include accommodation of those listed under AirBnB.
Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo said this is more proof that the city's sports tourism program continues to attract more visitors, which in turn provide more jobs and income for the businesses and small entrepreneurs.
In 2019, the top 10 countries of origin of foreign visitors in Dumaguete were: United States of America, China, Japan, Korea, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, Germany, Spain, and United Kingdom.
Dumaguete City is the gateway to different popular tourist destinations in Negros Oriental.
Among the most visited sites in the city are the Rizal Boulevard, Silliman University, Bell Tower, and the Cathedral.
Meanwhile, the popular destinations in the province include dolphin watching in Bais City, Twin Lakes in Sibulan town, Mabinay Caves in Mabinay town, Apo Island in Dauin, Balanan Lake in Siaton, Casaroro Falls in Valencia, and White Sandbar in Manjuyod. (PIA)