CEBU CITY – Tourist arrivals in Bohol reached more than one million in 2023, exceeding the province’s target for the year.

A STRAWBERRY farm in Bohol is one of the province’s top tourist destinations. The tourism office reported that more than one million tourists visited Bohol last year. (Calvin D. Cordova)

From the target 900,000 arrivals for 2023, the Bohol Provincial Tourism Office (BPTO) recorded 1,010,248 tourists who visited the province last year.

Of the total tourist arrivals in 2023, 67 percent were local tourists while 33 percent were foreign visitors.

The BPTO added that 41.8 percent of foreign visitors were Koreans while the rest were from China, Taiwan, United States, Germany, and France.

The BPTO attributed the high number of foreign tourist arrivals to the availability of direct international flights.

The vibrant tourism significantly contributed to Bohol’s economy as tourist arrivals resulted in an impressive P75.6 billion in tourist receipts last year.

The BPTO cited its sustainable tourism practices and development as envisioned in the strategic change agenda of the provincial government for the high number of tourist arrivals.

Joanne Pinat, BPTO officer-in-charge, thanked the provincial government for supporting the office's mandate, especially on implementing the Tourism Development Plans.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank our partner offices which tirelessly work with us in all our activities and projects on the ground and those whom we consistently seek support and help from,” Pinat said during the capitol's traditional flag ceremony last Monday.

Pinat also thanked to Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado, Vice Gov. Dionisio Victor Balite, Sangguniang Panlalawigan members, and Provincial Administrator Asteria Caberte.

A key factor in the surge in local and international interest in visiting Bohol was the island-province’s designation as the country’s first and only United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization Global Geopark.

With this, Bohol topped Agoda’s New Horizons list as the most searched and preferred destination early this year. It also placed ninth on Booking.com’s most trending list for most booked destinations last year.