■ VISITOR ARRIVALS TO REGION FALL IN FIRST 4 MONTHS OF '17

After Abu Sayyaf bandits were thwarted in Bohol, several countries issued travel warnings against visiting the region

Taiwan posted the highest growth of arrival in the first four months of 2017, even though overall visitor arrivals dropped by 3.02 percent. According to records released from the Department of Tourism (DOT), over two million guests arrived from January to April this year, of which 287,385 were from Korea. The DOT 7 targets a five-percent increase in tourism arrivals this year, but this was challenged by travel advisories issued by foreign countries due to terrorism threats in Bohol and the south of Cebu. To counter the impact, the DOT embarked on aggressive marketing efforts to recover losses from core source markets like Japan, China and Korea.

To recover the losses, the Department of Tourism exerted efforts in marketing and promotions

Visitor arrivals to Central Visayas dropped by 3.02 percent in the first four months of 2017, with Taiwan recording the highest growth rate of arrivals during the period.

According to the preliminary records released from the Department of Tourism (DOT) 7, the region received over two million guests from January to April this year, of which 287,385 were from Korea.

The DOT 7 targets a five percent increase in tourism arrivals this year.

Last year, Region 7 posted a 29.17-percent increase in arrivals or 5.9 million guests from 2015.

The first five months of the year is considered one of the peak seasons for travel to the region. However, it was challenged by the travel advisories issued by foreign countries due to terrorism threats such as the Abu Sayyaf encounter in Bohol, which then led to the conservative targets of the agency, among other factors.

To counter the impact, the DOT then embarked on aggressive marketing efforts, starting off with the Dubai Travel Fair where they hyped Bohol to tourists and buyers so it could recover losses in tourism receipts from core source markets like Japan, China and Korea.

Taiwan posted the highest growth among the region’s top source markets, posting a 110.75-percent increase to 21,631 arrivals from January to April this year.

Korea remained the region’s biggest contributor, with arrivals up by 5.26 percent, followed by Japan with 137,421 arrivals, an increase of 5.47 percent.

Another notable increase is the influx of Chinese tourists. During the first four months of 2017, guests from China rose by 77.86 percent to 126,599 arrivals.

Arrivals from USA, meanwhile, dropped by 0.35 percent to 73,396.

Cebu, in particular welcomed 1.4 million guests, up by 4.16 percent against last year’s record.

According to the DOT 7, most of Cebu’s foreign guests were recorded in Cebu City, Daanbantayan, Cordova, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Moalboal, Oslob, San Remigio, and Sta. Fe.