New ways sought for tourists to ‘discover’ Cebu as a brand

Let tourists experience riding a jeepney in Cebu.  Improve roads and infrastructure.

Make sure taxi drivers wear clean uniforms and keep their cabs tidy. Develop a Cebu “brand.”

These are some of the suggestions of hotel managers and a travel operator to support the Department of Tourism’s target of 6.3 million visitors to the Philippines by 2016.

They said the target is doable and that it’s up to Cebu and other regions how to join the new approach of national promotions to focus on “undiscovered treasurers and hidden gems.”

Cebu had 1.76 million visitors in 2010, the largest tourist arrivals for a single province.

Of that volume, 1 million or 60 percent were domestic travelers.

Hans Hauri, Marco Polo Hotel country general manager, said the 6.3 million national target by the end of President Aquino’s term or  double the level of arrivals in 2010 arrivals was doable.

“More importantly, the goal is achievable, and thus a sound base for everybody to tune into the plan and make it happen,” said Hauri, president of the Hotel Resort and Restaurant Association (HRRAC) Cebu chapter.

Efren Belarmino, general manager of Plantation Bay Resort and Spa, agreed that Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim has a good idea in carrying the theme “undiscovered treasures and hidden gems” to attract tourists to look at the Philippines.

“Cebu is already known worldwide. What we can do is recreate a different feel of what we have here that tourists can experience. Capitalize on the experience. Our jeepneys, our tricycles, wet markets and more that tourists would love to experience for themselves,” he said.

Belarmino said that many tourists like the Koreans, who form the biggest group of foreign tourists, want to experience riding a  jeepney and visiting the public market for local flavor.

He said Cebu authorities can regulate jeepneys, tricycles and markets to ensure a safe, secure and enjoyable experience for visitors.

“It will boil down to infrastructure, roads, transport system, traffic, as well as ensuring our taxi cabs and drivers are in proper attire. We can encourage a more inclusive tourism by engaging drivers to participate by wearing clean uniforms and keeping their taxi and jeepney units clean,” he said.

The DOT’s new approach of “undiscovered treasures and hidden gems” would stimulate new interest in the Philippines, said Hauri of Marco Polo.

“For grand scenery, there is the Ifugao Rice Terraces, Intramuros, Manila Bay, Palawan’s marine world, Cebu’s cultural cradle and more but it’s up to each region, province, city, and community to seize the own opportunity to attract  incoming visitors, be they from abroad or domestic.”

Hauri said the  DOT should next invite stakeholders of these “undiscovered treasures and hidden gems” and work together on promotion materials and collaterals as the tourism “expert” mandated to assist the private sector.

The DOT’s thrust to expand and open secondary international airports in the Visayas and Mindanao is also a good solution since the  Mactan-Cebu International Airport is nearing full capacity in servicing arrivals, said Hauri.

However, Bohol province  should not build an airport in Panglao Island  without  a tourism master plan in place.

“I see Panglao as a potential ‘second to Bali,’ but it must be staged as a grand plan, with government commitments on land and infrastructure and foreign interest must be secured … the airport is just a part of the overall scheme.”

He also suggested revisiting plans for a “Friendship Bridge” connecting Bohol and Cebu.

“Perhaps the point of connecting Cebu and Bohol by a bridge should be looked at once again, the cost of the bridge against the cost of the airport. The movement of goods and people, so important, is optimized by speed, ease of access, and reduced handling. Such a monument may also become an architectural feature and attraction. And haven’t we seen great bridges doing a wonderful promotional job? The Golden Gate Bridge, The Penang Bridge, the bridges connecting Hongkong with Lantau, and many more such examples.”

Naida Chua, president of the Cebu Association of Travel and Tour Operators (CATO),  said most government assistance for tourism is focused outside Cebu.

She said local players have to work together and make a unified brand for Cebu to remain a top preferred tourist destination in the country.

“They (DOT) see us as a place that can already stand on our own so we have to just gather our efforts and promote Cebu in out own way. We can still benefit from the target arrivals if we keep our image as a most preferred destination.”

According to Belarmino, Cebu can bank on the presence of many international hotels and resorts brands and encourage more to come in to invest.

“When tourists see that these international brands are here, it  makes a good impression for Cebu That will make marketing Cebu easier,” Belarmino said.

In 2010, there were 1,768,234 tourist arrivals in Cebu which is 9.27 percent higher than 2009.

In Cebu, East Asian countries still make up  the bulk of foreign tourists.  Koreans remain the top market (36 percent) followed by the Japanese (21.69 percent).

USA is the third largest group followed by China and Hong Kong.