Tourism contributed P28.5B to region’s coffers in 2017

CEBU, Philippines – The tourism industry in Central Visayas contributed an estimate of P28.5 billion to the region’s economy in 2017.

Department of Tourism (DOT-7) latest record showed that this estimated tourism receipts is based on the 6.97 million tourist arrivals in the four provinces of the region for the year.

This computation is also based on the average length of stay and average daily expenditure per tourists.

DOT-7 regional director Shalimar Tamano reported in a press conference yesterday that tourism receipts contributed by foreign visitors could reach within the estimate of P21.2 billion.

Domestic tourists contributed P7.3 billion to the region's cash flow in 2017, based on the average length of stay of 1.5 days per vacation with a daily expenditure of P1,200.

Foreign arrivals to the region reached 2.9 million in 2017. Domestic travelers, on the other hand, fetched a total of 4.06 million.

Cebu cornered the bigger chunk of foreign tourists with 78 percent of the 2.9 million lingered and stayed in Cebu.

Next favorable destination among foreign tourists in 2017 was Bohol (15 percent), followed by Negros Oriental (5 percent) and Siquijor at two percent.

The trend is similar with domestic tourists, Cebu as the most popular destination among Filipino tourists, followed by Bohol, Negros Oriental and then Siquijor.

China emerged as the fastest growing tourism market for the region. Chinese travelers are now the second largest foreign tourists market for Cebu, overtaking Japan.

Chinese arrivals grew by 75 percent to 429,306 from 244,925 in 2016.

Next fast growing market are the Taiwanese tourists visiting Cebu with arrival growth of 69.75 percent.

Korea, which sustains its lead as the top foreign market for Central Visayas over the years, only grew by 6.26 percent.