ILOILO City – The first half or six months of 2022 saw over one million tourists visiting Western Visayas despite the lingering threat of coronavirus disease, according to Department of Tourism (DOT) regional director Cristine Mansinares.
Tourism receipts rose over P16.6 billion.
The number of visitors nearly surpassed the whole of 2021’s tourist arrivals of 1,167,463, DOT Region 6 data showed.
According to Mansinares, the province of Aklan, and specifically Boracay Island, had the biggest share of tourist arrivals in the region so far at 962,289.
TIME Magazine last week named the island paradise in the northern tip of Aklan province as one of the “World’s Greatest Places of 2022”.
Mansinares said tourists are attracted to the region’s nature-based destinations.
Tourists are again rediscovering a pristine Boracay – rehabilitated in 2018 and got an added two years of convalescence that started in 2020 when the pandemic struck and travel restrictions were imposed.
“Iban gakadto sa Guimaras for weekend biking or to experience island hopping,” Mansinares also said.
She described as “very promising” the province of Antique.
“Kadamo man sang nagabisita. May mga parks or forest areas kita didto kon diin sila ga-trek. May Malumpati Cold Spring,” said Mansinares.
In Iloilo province, she said, tourists usually target the northern part, especially Concepcion and Carles that boast of small islands with beaches.
Mansinares expressed confidence that Western Visayas would be able to reach if not surpass its target of 2.8 million tourist arrivals this year.
“Aside from fun and recreation, tourists come for wellness purposes,” said Mansinares.
The surge in the region’s tourist arrivals is further aided by the resumption of large-scale events and conventions such as those booked in Iloilo City, the director added.
Further helping increase the tourist arrivals are the return of flights following the easing of travel restrictions in February.
But so far, domestic tourists comprise the majority of visitors to Western Visayas – 817, 215.
DOT-6 counted just 18,845 foreign visitors and 12,987 vacationing overseas Filipinos.
The top foreign tourist markets of the region this year so far are the United States, South Korea, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Canada, Singapore, China, Israel, and United Arab Emirates.
How could this resurgence in tourists be sustained?
“Gina-capacitate namon ang mga tourism frontliners. Kinanglan nila refresher on how to conduct their respective roles sa mga sites kon diin sila,” said Mansinares.
These frontliners include sea port and airport staff, tour guides, hotel staff, community-based tourism organizations, and etc.
Just this July 12 to 1, DOT-6 also conducted a tourism destination management and resilience training to different partner agencies and local government units.
The attendees included local tourism officers, planning officers, disaster risk reduction management officers, park superintendents, etc.
Mansinares also stressed importance of coronavirus disease booster shots, with the pandemic not yet over./PN
