‘More good news needed in Cebu than bad news’

MORE good news should come out of Cebu than negative stories, tourism officials said yesterday.

“Good stories, photographs and videos should overwhelm the negative stories in Central Visayas,” said Regional Director Rowena Montecillo of the Department of Tourism in Central Visayas (DOT-7).

The agency launched its Tourism and Heritage Information Network-7 (THINK-7) program that would create a network of reporters and bloggers that would help promote the region’s tourism industry.

Montecillo said while negative news is inevitable especially in highly urbanized cities like Cebu City, good news should prevail over negative reports.

“We would seek for the reorganization of the tourism press corps, especially on how to maximize our online publication,” she said.

This week alone, stories on a family massacre, political feuds and heinous crimes dominated the local news.

Montecillo said THINK-7 would focus on online media, where most consumers seek information on tourist spots, lodgings and restaurants.

She said that their program is in line with the program thrust of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr., which will maximize social media in promoting the country.

Montecillo said they will highlight the heritage landmarks of Cebu as their selling point to tourists.

“Our region is rich with heritage. We can assert so many areas that we can promote like the old churches,” she said.

The regional DOT-7 chief said their latest figures showed that from January to August this year, Cebu drew 562,673 foreign visitors.

Montecillo said this is higher than the 474,319 arrivals for the same period last year.

Cebu also received 750,643 domestic visitors from January to August this year, slightly higher than the 705,380 domestic arrivals last year.

Koreans comprise the bulk of foreign tourist arrivals in Cebu with 250,353 from January to August of this year.

Montecillo said they would conduct more trainings and studies to augment their tourism programs for the region.

“For so many years we don’t plan out, we just wait for instructions from Manila. Now we have a plan,” Montecillo said.

The THINK-7 is chaired by economist and Cebu Daily News columnist Perry Fajardo, who said problems like sidewalks, traffic congestion and even erroneous tourist maps need to be addressed.

“Tourists should also be introduced to our provinces. They should go beyond the city,” Fajardo said.