Aside from the health and wellness component, which is expected to draw more Japanese tourists to Cebu once again, the Department of Tourism (DOT) gears up to position Cebu as a primary "Wedding Destination".
DOT secretary Joseph Ace Durano announced that while his department is pushing the Philippines as premier "Wedding Destination" in Asia, Cebu has been made the center of this campaign.
Durano mentioned that facilities of five-star resorts for garden wedding ceremonies and reception, such as in Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort, Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa, and Plantation Bay Resort and Spa.
City-based hotels like Marco Polo Cebu, Waterfront Cebu City Hotels and Casino, among other are also providing facilities for garden wedding ceremonies for both local and foreign couples.
According to Durano, the Philippines is closely working with the Japanese Association of Travel Agents (JATA) to push this new campaign.
He said Cebu could take advantage of this attraction and wedding coordinators could also find good opportunities in partnership with travel operators and resorts here.
While most Japanese are Buddhist in religion, a growing number of especially the young generation are seeking adventures in their wedding memories, and holding ceremonies outside of their country is found to be an exciting adventure for Japanese lovers.
Although, wedding ceremonies here is done on Christian or Catholic (religion way), Durano said Japanese lovers' are attracted to the "ceremony" itself, regardless of the religion.
Shangri-La Mactan has built a wedding chapel, called "Ocean Pavilion" primarily to cater to the increasing number of foreign and local guests, holding their wedding ceremonies in the resort.
Even, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa hosted an underwater wedding ceremony last year.
As this campaign is expected to also open another revenue stream for the wedding planning industry in Cebu, players are seeing hitches when it comes to new rules and regulations set by the Catholic Church on wedding ceremonies.