DOT-7: Lapu-Lapu City top tourist drawer in CV
Lapu-Lapu City was the most visited tourist destination in the region last year, according to the Department of Tourism in Central Visayas.
DOT-7 Director Shahlimar Hofer Tamano said 2.9 million tourists visited Region-7 in 2017 and more than one million of them came to Lapu-Lapu City.
“I am happy to announce that Lapu-Lapu City has another victory in 2017 and that is, Lapu-Lapu garnered more than one million foreign tourists in 2017. The biggest in the region. And probably the biggest compared to other areas of the country,” he said, during the 497th Kadaugan sa Mactan celebration at the Liberty Shrine yesterday.
Tamano also noted an increase of 75 percent in the Chinese tourists. Koreans, however, remain to be the number one tourists in the region.
“But the number one spot is still our Korean (tourists), number two are the Chinese (nationals) and the third are our friends from Japan,” he said.
Tamano said an increase in tourist arrivals is also expected soon because the Terminal 2 of the MactanCebu International Airport will be operational within two months.
Mayor Paz Radaza was elated by the remarks of the tourism official. She promised to continue the tourism program of the historic resort city.
Aside from its resorts, Lapu-Lapu was also known for the famous Battle of Mactan, which was commemorated yesterday. Around 5,000 spectators witnessed the first ever musical-themed Kadaugan Sa Mactan, a reenactment of the battle between Datu Lapu-Lapu and Ferdinand Magellan.
Lapu-Lapu City Police chief Senior Superintendent Rommel Cabagnot said that there was no untoward incident recorded during the celebration.
Around 300 personnel from the LCPO- Tourist Police Office were deployed yesterday.
Actors Derick Hubalde and Adrian Louise Alandy played the roles of Datu Lapu-Lapu and Ferdinand Magellan, respectively. Meanwhile, Cebuana actress Dionne Monsanto also played Reyna Bulakna.