Aussies don't know Cebu as a tourism destination

Most Australians don't know Cebu as a tourism destination, as revealed by Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Tony Hely in his visit to Cebu recently.

He urged the Cebu tourism players to maximize its tourism potential and attract a huge chunk of the Australian tourism market.

"You have a lot of interesting places and exciting tourism destinations here, you need to open up and promote Cebu to Australia," Hely said.

In general, he said the Philippines is not on the list of Australian's preferred tourism destinations, primarily because there is a lack of promotional efforts being made by the Philippines.

Cebu in particular he said has a huge chance of attracting Australian travelers if this market is guided well, and be more oriented of Cebu as a preferred tourism hub in Asia.

Resorts, diving havens, and attractions could lure good Australian travelers to Cebu, he stressed.

"Australians are good travelers. Most of them are spending their vacation in Europe and also parts of Asia. Australians don't know what they can do more as tourists in the Philippines," the Ambassador stressed in an interview.

Hely added that aside from leisure travelers, Cebu has also a huge potential to bring in medical tourists from Australia.

"There is a market for medical tourism in Australia," he said emphasizing that the lack of promotion is one of the hindrances, why Australian tourists, including those medical tourists market segment are currently not considering the Philippines as an alternative destination.

Hely is the not the first foreigner executive who suggested for an effective promotional campaign for Philippines as tourism destination.

Recently, Tourism Malaysia deputy director Mirza Mohammad Taiyab said Cebu still has to promote itself very well to Malaysian market, as the province is not yet known as a destination specially to frequent Malaysian travelers.

Cebu being recognized by the Philippine government as the center for tourism in the Philippines, has started an ambitious tourism plan to attract five million arrivals in the next five years.

With the limited promotional budget from the cash-strapped Philippine government, Cebu's private sector led by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) has initiated this plan, although it has raised a negative acceptance from international tourism experts.

Hely believes that if a good promotional campaign will be initiated to tap the huge spender Australian traveling market, there is a big possibility that Cebu could become an alternative vacation hub for Australians.

The Philippine tourism department led by Cebuano Joseph Ace Durano has identified three top tourism market priorities for promotions abroad, these include Korea, Japan, and China.

Huge part of the tourism budget for international market is concentrated in these priority markets, compromising promotional budget for potential markets like Europe, and others.