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WITH the decline of Korean tourists in the country, the Department of Tourism (DOT) is urging the public to maintain Cebu’s image as an attractive leisure destination and to strengthen its assets.
Tourism Undersecretary Phineas Alburo said Cebu is more attractive than other provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao due to its accessibility, hospitable people, supportive local government units (LGUs), peace and order as well as the presence of natural and man-made attractions.
“It’s a question of image. And it’s a challenge to maintain this image in the international market. Since Cebu is already a beautiful place, what we need to improve is our cleanliness,” he said.
Alburo also noted that other provinces, like Davao, have the potential to become a tourist destination but its accessibility still poses a problem for tourists.
In the case of Bohol, Police Regional Office 7 Director Ronald Roderos said tourism prospered due to the LGU-led campaign against insurgency and the establishment of Bohol tourist police unit and assistance centers at the Chocolate Hills, Tarsier sanctuary, Loboc River and Panglao Island.
“As long as we have tourists, we will be doing well. We just have to keep adding facilities to boost the industry and generate employment,” Alburo said.
DOT is optimistic that the opening of the Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City and the SM Investment Corp.’s 20-story hotel that will carry the Radisson brand, will create at least 2,300 jobs.
Meanwhile, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa general manager Efren Belarmino said the resort will continue to aggressively promote its products and services even while external factors are affecting the tourism industry.
The resort is looking at Russian tourists who want to visit tropical countries like the Philippines.
Belarmino said Plantation Bay is also looking at other markets like Germans while keeping an eye on Koreans and Japanese tourists, as well as balikbayans and domestic travelers.
At the 250-room resort that sits on an 11.4-hectare land in Lapu-Lapu City, the management is coming up with a variety of food for its customers and has implemented some renovations on the property. The resort also maintains a no-tipping policy to reduce anxiety among tourists.
“We have to move aggressively together and develop programs like Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo program in order to reach at least 85-percent room occupancy the whole year round even if Korean tourists are declining due to the global economy,” said Robert Lim Joseph, honorary consul of the Republic of Latvia to the Philippines.
Source: SunStar
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