COOL SCENE Farmers in Talakag, Bukidnon, use horses to transport produce from their farms, as Mt. Kitanglad, a national park, looms in the distance in this November 2023 photo. The cool climate and sweeping landscape of Talakag make it one of the favorite destinations for agritourism in Northern Mindanao. BOBBY E. LAGSA
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) is pushing all the buttons to bring international and local tourists to visit Mindanao, as the peace and security situation in the region has tremendously improved compared to a decade ago.
“The truth is, Mindanao is peaceful and the island is ready for domestic and international tourists,” Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said during the opening of the second Mindanao Tourism Expo (MTEx) here on Friday.
The expo, which ran from April 26 to April 28, sought to promote the tourism destinations of Mindanao’s six regions. It featured tourism spots, “pasalubong” (gift) products and discounted tour packages. Promotional displays from regions outside of Mindanao were also showcased in the expo.
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Frasco said that given its vast potential, tourism could lift Mindanao’s economy to greater heights, which was why the DOT, Department of National Defense, and Department of the Interior and Local Government had signed a joint agreement on Mindanao tourism development, with peace and order as the foundation.
Outdated advisories
Frasco explained that the national government has been doing all it can to work with local governments to change the perception of tourists that Mindanao is a dangerous place to visit, as the country’s soldiers and police have done their best to keep the region safe for its residents and for tourists.
READ: DOT teaming up with DILG, DND to market Mindanao as peaceful tourist spot
Tourist arrivals in Mindanao, especially foreigners, are tempered by travel advisories issued by their respective governments. To address this, the DOT has had various engagements with foreign dignitaries, showcasing tourism destinations across the island to show that it is peaceful and ready to cater to tourists, said Frasco.
“We have invited dignitaries, members of the embassies that have existing travel advisories against the Philippines and Mindanao so that they can see for themselves that their advisories are outdated and that it is time to lift and revise those,” Frasco emphasized.
Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando Uy also assured foreign tourists that Mindanao’s local governments are doing their share of maintaining peace and order “because we wanted you to feel safe as you enjoy our destinations.”
Arrivals
Data from the DOT showed that in 2022, at least 7.1 million tourists visited Mindanao. A key destination region is Northern Mindanao, or Region 10 (comprising the provinces of Camiguin, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte and Bukidnon, and the highly urbanized cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan), which hosted around 3 million tourists annually just before the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March 2020.
Tourist arrivals in Northern Mindanao dropped to only 650,000 in 2020 due to lockdowns and other health-related travel restrictions. However, in 2023, the arrivals in the region picked up to 2.5 million, said Juan Carlos Valentino Baclig, marketing and promotion head of DOT-10.
According to Baclig, the expo hoped to replicate the success of the first MTEx, which brought more tourists to Mindanao.
“Hopefully, by the third and fourth quarters of this year, we can see an increase in tourist arrivals after the expo. Just like the first expo in Davao, our tourist arrival increased from 1.6 million in 2022 to 2.5 million in 2023,” he said.
“Whether you seek adventure or cultural explorations, Mindanao has so much to offer,” said Misamis Oriental Gov. Peter Unabia.
“Together, we showcased the richness of our landscapes, the warmth of our hospitality and our heritage. Mindanao is a treasure trove of natural wonders,” Unabia added.