Central Visayas tourist arrivals hit 2.8 million

CEBU CITY – Tourists arrivals in Central Visayas last year reached 8,099,346 visitors, a 16-percent jump from the 6,974,674 visitors in 2017. Foreign tourist arrivals stood at 2,805,115, Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director Shalimar Hofer Tamano told a media briefing Tuesday.

As expected, Cebu had the lion’s share, getting 77 percent, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT).

Tamano said domestic tourist arrivals in Central Visayas for 2018 was also high at over 4.446 million, with Cebu still getting 62 percent of those domestic tourists.

“With these increases in tourist arrivals, tourism receipts in the region in 2018 reached R44.2 billion with the estimated daily receipts spending from foreign tourists at R6,597 and from domestic tourists receipts at R1,200 per day,” Tamano said.

South Korea made up the biggest batch of arrivals in the region in 2018 with 1,344,154 visitors. Also in the top 10 are China, Japan, United States, Taiwan, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, France and Canada.

“Cebu is a complete destination for the Koreans, they have a good affiliation with the Cebuanos,” Tamano said.

The top five tourist destinations in the region are the cities of Cebu and Lapu-lapu, Panglao and Tagbilaran in Bohol and Dumaguete City.

Over 1.650 million domestic tourists visited Cebu City, while more than 1,340,000 foreign tourists came to Lapu-Lapu City, the report said.

Other popular destinations include Mandaue City, Cordova, Sta. Fe, Bantayan, Daanbantayan, San Remigio, Oslob, San Juan in Siquijor, Dauis in Bohol and San Francisco in Camotes Island.

Tamano said Central Visayas is becoming the most preferred tourist destination in the country because of its connectivity, with Cebu being the hub.

With the opening of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Terminal last July 1, and Panglao International Airport in Bohol last November, 10 new international inaugural flights were launched, eight of them from China and Macau, Tamano said.

The regional Tourism 2018 report showed that as of last Jan. 30, Cebu had 590 international flights and 1,486 domestic flights per week. The flights increased inter-island connectivity in Central Visayas, with more trips and ports of call in Getafe and Talibon in Bohol and Poro in Camotes Island.