Tourism activities in Cebu town making headways
Published Mar 24, 2023 10:20 am
CEBU CITY – After being slowed by the pandemic, tourism activities have picked up in one of the prime tourist destinations in the
province of Cebu.
MOALBOAL, Cebu Mayor Inocentes Cabaron talks about the tourism activity in the town that has already bounced back after it was slowed by the pandemic. (Calvin D. Cordova)
Moalboal Mayor Inocentes Cabaron said that foreign tourist arrivals in the town have been increasing following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. “Thank God, our tourism business has picked up. We are already at 60 percent pre-Covid level and we are talking about foreign tourists only,” said Cabaron. Cabaron said tourist arrivals are gradually increasing and the decision by Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia to ease some Covid-19 restrictions was a big factor. “You can already see a lot of tourists strolling around the town. They no longer have apprehensions or worries. Plus, the measures implemented by our Governor; she relaxed the restrictions and that helped,” added Cabaron. Most of the foreign tourists arriving in the Moalboal are Europeans but the town is also bracing for an increase in the arrivals of Chinese visitors. “Now that China is opening up, we are expecting Chinese tourists also. Chinese arrive in busloads. They don’t come individually, usually they come in aboard big tourist buses,” said Cabaron. Diving spots and its white sand beaches are what make the town attractive to foreign tourists, Cabaron said. “Since the beginning, beautiful corals, white-sand beaches and very clear water; that has been the assets of Moalboal,” said Cabaron. Based on the 2022 data from the Department of Tourism, Moalboal had the third highest foreign tourist arrivals in the entire Cebu with 19,903. Domestic tourist arrivals in Moalboal reached 80,581. Combining the foreign and domestic tourist arrivals, Moalboal ranked sixth as the most-visited place in Cebu in 2022. With the town’s increasing tourist arrivals, tourism revenue has also picked up. Figures from the town’s tourism office showed that from January 1 to February 28 this year, the town has already collected P1,175,910 in environmental user’s fee. The amount came from the P25 fee being charged for each beach goer. The town has also collected P992,475 as environmental fee for island hopping and P939,135 for environmental user’s fee for snorkeling. Collection for the user’s fee for diving has already reached P608,700 during the first two months of the year.
MOALBOAL, Cebu Mayor Inocentes Cabaron talks about the tourism activity in the town that has already bounced back after it was slowed by the pandemic. (Calvin D. Cordova)
Moalboal Mayor Inocentes Cabaron said that foreign tourist arrivals in the town have been increasing following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. “Thank God, our tourism business has picked up. We are already at 60 percent pre-Covid level and we are talking about foreign tourists only,” said Cabaron. Cabaron said tourist arrivals are gradually increasing and the decision by Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia to ease some Covid-19 restrictions was a big factor. “You can already see a lot of tourists strolling around the town. They no longer have apprehensions or worries. Plus, the measures implemented by our Governor; she relaxed the restrictions and that helped,” added Cabaron. Most of the foreign tourists arriving in the Moalboal are Europeans but the town is also bracing for an increase in the arrivals of Chinese visitors. “Now that China is opening up, we are expecting Chinese tourists also. Chinese arrive in busloads. They don’t come individually, usually they come in aboard big tourist buses,” said Cabaron. Diving spots and its white sand beaches are what make the town attractive to foreign tourists, Cabaron said. “Since the beginning, beautiful corals, white-sand beaches and very clear water; that has been the assets of Moalboal,” said Cabaron. Based on the 2022 data from the Department of Tourism, Moalboal had the third highest foreign tourist arrivals in the entire Cebu with 19,903. Domestic tourist arrivals in Moalboal reached 80,581. Combining the foreign and domestic tourist arrivals, Moalboal ranked sixth as the most-visited place in Cebu in 2022. With the town’s increasing tourist arrivals, tourism revenue has also picked up. Figures from the town’s tourism office showed that from January 1 to February 28 this year, the town has already collected P1,175,910 in environmental user’s fee. The amount came from the P25 fee being charged for each beach goer. The town has also collected P992,475 as environmental fee for island hopping and P939,135 for environmental user’s fee for snorkeling. Collection for the user’s fee for diving has already reached P608,700 during the first two months of the year.