ILOILO City – This southern city was the second top tourist destination in Western Visayas next to Boracay Island in 2022, data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 6 showed.
The city logged a total of 752,301 tourist arrivals (overnight travelers) – 734,218 domestic and 18,083 foreign.
Boracay, meanwhile, registered 1,759,592 arrivals – 1,558,079 domestic travelers; 38,826 overseas Filipinos; and 132,687 foreign travelers.
“Happy kita nga ang Boracay nakabangon na and same thing with us. Happy kita nga second to Boracay ang Iloilo City sa bilog nga Western Visayas,” said Junel Divinagracia, chief of the Iloilo City Tourism and Development Office (CTDO).
Revenge tourism or travel is one of the factors in the increase in tourist arrivals last year, according to Divinagracia.
People inactive during pandemic lockdowns rushed to travel and explore when restrictions were lifted, she explained.
In 2021, the city registered 211,914 tourists – 195,941 domestic and 15,973 foreign.
“Ang ila ginkadtuan amo ni ang aton mga hotels for staycation, ang iban sa mga resorts para maka-relax. Ang aton accommodation sector nakabenepisyo gid. Makita naton ang occupancy nila taas after the pandemic. Gusto naton i-maintain ina,” Divinagracia added.
Iloilo City’s being one of the top MICE (meetings, conferences, exhibitions, or other events) destinations in the country also contributed big to the tourism arrivals.
“Aside from staycations, ang aton mga conventions nagsige-sige and Iloilo is always top of mind sang mga naga-convention,” Divinagracia added.
This July, she said, the city is expecting a huge convention by the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals. The group has an estimated 15,000-strong members and to accommodate everyone, they will have a hybrid convention.
“I’m not sure kon asta sa diin ang ila nga limit as to the number of participants kay they will be having several hotels – most of the hotels sa Iloilo pero may iban sila nga hotels where they will be putting up ining mga screens para sa hybrid nila nga convention,” she added.
This kind of event, Divinagracia noted, is something that the city has to prepare for in terms of tour package offers and assisting the delegates in the venue.
“Amo na ang isa sa mga best practices naton. Everytime may convention, ang tourism office, ang city government nagabutang sang aton information table wherein may ara Dinagyang warrior costumes nga magamit nila for photo op. May ara man kita tourist information center nga naga-assist sa ila kon gusto nila nga mag-tour pa sagwa sang Iloilo or diri man sa sulod sang Iloilo kag kon may palamangktunaon sila,” she explained.
With this achievement on tourism arrivals, Divinagracia acknowledged the support and collaboration of various tourism stakeholders, especially the accommodation sector.
“Kanami gid sang ila services subong, especially ang ila pag-amoma sa aton mga bisita. Ang amoma program naton na-practice ta gid kag kon makasulod kamo sa mga different hotels, kita naton ang pag-asikaso kag pag-welcome sang aton mga frontliners,” she touted.
Divinagracia said more are in store for tourists and visitors especially that Mayor Jerry Treñas’ effort is also centered on making the city more attractive and liveable.
“Ginatinguhaan gid ni Mayor Jerry nga mapatahum ang syudad, ang aton open spaces, plazas gina-rehab, sige-sige ang conservation sang mga heritage buildings ,” she said.
She further cited the ongoing redevelopments of the city’s public markets that will soon become one of the destinations for visitors as there will be authentic and local Ilonggo products on sale.
Meanwhile, the whole Western Visayas logged a total of 4,282,519 tourist arrivals from January to December 2022: 4,045,584 domestic travelers; 40,072 overseas Filipinos; and 196,863 foreign travelers.
Other cities and provinces in the region and their respective distribution of overnight travelers in 2022 are the following:
* Bacolod City – 618,682 (587,695 domestic travelers and 30,987 foreign travelers)
* Negros Occidental – 510,022 (505,262 domestic travelers and 4,760 foreign travelers
* Iloilo province – 289,046 (285,799 domestic travelers, 658 overseas Filipinos and 2,589 foreign travelers)
* Capiz – 169,666 (167,968 domestic travelers, 588 overseas Filipinos and 1,110 foreign travelers)
* Guimaras – 106,841 (106,563 domestic travelers and 278 foreign travelers)
* Antique – 76,369 (70,000 domestic travelers and 6,369 foreign travelers)./PN