Chinese travel ban not felt in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Although the travel ban issued by the Chinese government against the Philippines has already resulted in a downturn in tourist arrivals in some destinations in the country, it however has not really made a dent to Cebu’s accommodation industry.

"We don’t have much Chinese tourists here in Cebu so the travel ban does not affect us," said Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu president Cenelyn Manguilimotan.

Despite the travel ban, Chinese diving enthusiasts are still interested to visit Cebu’s dive spots, said George Wang, group general manager of the Sàv Hospitality Ltd., the operator of the Pacific Cebu Resort, one of the preferred dive resorts in Mactan.

Network of Independent Travel Agents Cebu president Ricky Tio said that Cebu is slowly gaining interest of divers from China and Hong Kong, with its attractive and reasonably priced diving locations within the province.

Tio said that aside from the sustained bookings from different countries who come to Cebu for diving and other activities, Chinese are now the emerging market for "fun-diving" attraction.

Although the top selling products among the growing Chinese market is island-hopping, diving is closely catching up.

"China and Hong Kong are two of the best markets for diving to tap," he said in an interview adding that top locations for fun diving are Mactan Island, Malapascua and Moalboal.

Earlier this week, NITAs chairman Robert Lim Joseph told tourism stakeholders to be resilient amid the travel ban, saying "we are resilient, and we not beggars in tourism."

According to Joseph, the Philippines is undoubtedly an attractive destination, and that even if Chinese tourists will stop coming, it will not stop the upward movement of the sector in the Philippines

"We have to count them out," said Joseph referring the Chinese market, as they are not the only travelers in the world. (FREEMAN)