DOT-7 Optimistic to Achieve 2016 Target for Tourist Arrivals

The Department of Tourism in Central Visayas (DOT-7) expressed optimism that it will achieve its target of tourist arrivals in the region in 2016 after it released its partial data covering the period of January to December last year.

DOT-7 is targeting to achieve 5.8 million for the year 2016. Partial figures from the DOT-7 showed that 5,440,417 local and foreign tourists visited Central Visayas last year.

Of the total figure, 3.22 million accounted for domestic arrivals and 2.21 million were foreign arrivals, said DOT-7 regional staff Gloriece Glen Do during the recent meeting of the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO -7).

Cebu province had the highest visitor count in the region which comprises 62 percent or 1.98 million for domestic arrivals and 80 percent or 1.77 million for foreign arrivals.

This was followed by Bohol with 643,864 (domestic) and 259,727 (foreign); Negros Oriental with 554,550 (domestic) and 141,853 (foreign); and Siquijor with 44,905 (domestic) and 40,971 (foreign).

Korea remained the top source of foreign visitors with 43.09 percent or 824,265. DOT-7 noted an 11.93 percent growth rate compared to the data in the same period in 2015 with 736,425 visitor count.

The other top foreign tourist markets of Central Visayas after Korea are Japan, China, USA, Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Taiwan, and Canada.

DOT-7 highlighted the 79.43 percent growth rate in the visitor count coming from China. From 128,358 in 2015, the number of Chinese tourists grew to 230,318 last year.

In 2015, visitor arrivals in the region reached 4.6 million, surpassing the 4.4. million target.

Do meanwhile, said the region currently caters to 19 new direct flights. She also announced the inauguration of two new set of direct flights from Tagbilaran City to Incheon in South Korea and to Clark in Pampanga via Philippine Air Lines (PAL) scheduled on June 22 and 23.

On June 1, a new direct flight from Cebu to Kunming in China will be inaugurated. (FCR/Carmel Loise Matus/PIA7)