Cebu tourism stakeholders hold 8-day roadshow in US

CEBU, Philippines - Tourism stakeholders in Cebu are currently promoting the province to the American market, through an eight-day roadshow that is being held in four cities in the United States.

 Organized by Philippine Airlines (PAL) and the Department of Tourism (DOT), the tour highlights the direct flight from Cebu to Los Angeles, California, which will be launched in March.

DOT-7 regional director Rowena Montecillo said that Cebu and other destinations in the Philippines are being showcased by the participating Cebu and Manila- based travel agencies. The roadshow started on January 29 and will culminate on February 6.

The group is set to meet with Filipino-American community in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco and San Diego.

Aside from announcing the availability of direct access to Cebu, Montecillo said the roadshow also aims to update Fil-Americans and US nationals about Cebu's tourism development, its expanded sites, and products, and widening transportation to access other tourism hotspots in the Philippines.

Stakeholders believe that the flag carrier's upcoming Cebu-Los Angeles direct flight is seen to provide opportunity to market Cebu further to the Amercian market.

 Also, the nearing school break could be a chance for Cebu to entice American students to take their vacation here.

Montecillo said that Cebu will be positioned as a leisure and adventure destination. Attractive travel packages have already been set up, designed to suit the American travelers' interests.

US is the country's second biggest tourism supplier with 636,658 arrivals from January to October last year, up by 7.51 percent from 592, 204 arrivals in the same period in 2014.

This market is also the second biggest contributor in terms of tourism receipts at P3.99 billion as of October 2015.

 PAL announced earlier that the Cebu-Los Angeles flights will start on March 15, which is also the airline's 75th founding anniversary. It will utilize a 254-seater Airbus A340, equipped with both business and economy class seats. It will fly thrice weekly.  (FREEMAN)