THE Department of Tourism (DOT) has thrown its full support behind the launch of the Sky Tours Experience, describing it as a major boost to Cebu’s tourism industry and a catalyst for economic recovery following a series of devastating calamities.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the new attraction introduces a fresh and innovative tourism product that further strengthens Cebu’s already diverse offerings.
“The Sky Tours Experience is a big help for Cebu and for the Philippines. It is a brand-new tourism product that adds to Cebu’s diverse landscape and makes the destination even more attractive to both local and international tourists,” Frasco said.
She said increased tourist arrivals would translate into more livelihood opportunities, employment and economic activity for local communities.
“With more people visiting, we expect more jobs, more livelihoodsand more opportunities for our destinations,” she added.
Frasco emphasized that the National Government is backing the project initiated by the local government unit of Tuburan, noting that its benefits will extend beyond the municipality.
“I come from local government, so my focus has always been to bring the local voice into national governance. That is why we are here to support this innovative project of the local government of Tuburan,” she said. “This will also benefit Bantayan Island and the rest of Cebu.”
Cebu as preferred destination
She reiterated that Cebu remains one of the world’s preferred destinations due to the variety of experiences it offers, from beaches and diving spots to cultural and religious heritage sites.
“Cebu has always been a preferred destination because of its rich and diverse experiences. From a world-class airport, you can reach the beach in just 10 to 15 minutes,” Frasco said.
She added that tourists can dive with thresher sharks in Malapascua, swim with whale sharks in southern Cebu, witness the sardine run in Moalboal and explore Cebu’s identity as the cradle of Christianity in the Philippines.
Frasco said the tourism sector has faced significant challenges over the past year due to successive disasters, including typhoons, earthquakes, flooding and severe weather systems.
“In the past five to six months alone, the country has experienced one calamity after another. This resulted in at least 31 travel alerts issued by different countries, which negatively affected tourist arrivals in the Philippines,” she said.
Visa-free, direct flights
Despite these setbacks, Frasco said the government continues to push for tourism recovery by expanding air connectivity and easing travel requirements.
“India is now visa-free to the Philippines, and direct flights from Delhi to Manila are already operating daily,” she said. “For Cebu, there are also new international routes from Kuala Lumpur, Vietnam and Brisbane, Australia.”
She added that the DOT is working to establish direct flights from India to Cebu next year in coordination with international aviation partners and the Department of Transportation.
Frasco also highlighted ongoing government programs aimed at strengthening tourism infrastructure and supporting workers.
“We have already trained more than 400,000 tourism workers under the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence program,” she said.
She noted that more than 43,000 tourism workers nationwide have been affected by recent calamities, including over 5,000 from Cebu.
“Through our partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, we have distributed family food packs and provided emergency cash assistance to affected tourism workers,” Frasco said.
Balancing tourism
Former Tuburan mayor Aljun Diamante, meanwhile, stressed the importance of balancing tourism development with disaster preparedness, especially in a municipality frequently affected by natural calamities.
“Tuburan has experienced many disasters, including typhoon Yolanda, typhoon Odette, earthquakes and other severe weather events,” Diamante said.
He said that while the municipality suffered damage, its impact was less severe compared to neighboring towns.
“In nearby towns, power restoration took almost two months, but in Tuburan, electricity was restored in just four days because the damage was not as extensive,” he said.
Diamante said that Tuburan remains vulnerable to flooding due to its large catch basin, which channels water from surrounding mountain ranges.
“If rainfall reaches 125 to 150 millimeters, several barangays can be affected because water flows down from the mountains of Danao, Carmen and Catmon,” he said.
To reduce flood risks, Diamante said the local government is planning structural interventions.
“Our plan is to implement riverbank setbacks and establish impounding areas both upstream and downstream to better manage floodwaters,” he said. / ABC