BAGUIO CITY – Tourist arrivals in this summer capital are starting to pick up amid declining fuel prices, the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB) said Tuesday.

HRAB spokesperson Andrew Pinero, in an interview, noted that current figures are still better than in previous months.

“Much better than Holy Week when we looked like a ghost town without the tourists we were expecting to arrive,” said Pinero, who is also the member and client relations officer of membership resort Baguio Country Club.

He said the city’s accommodation establishments log a 40 percent occupancy rate on weekdays, much lower than the usual 60 percent.

On weekends, the occupancy rate soars to 80 percent to 90 percent, he added.

“Those figures are already good. We are confident that this will continue to have better numbers in the coming months,” he added.

Pinero added that people have also regained confidence in hotel bookings, especially with many conferences, events, and weddings happening in the city.

“It helps keep us afloat,” he said. “During weekends, you can feel that there are more people, and it seems like the people have gotten used to the up and down of fuel prices. Even Baguio residents are now using their vehicles.”

Pinero also shared that even their club members no longer hesitate to visit the city when invited to avail of rooms and accommodations, and are already eager to book their stays for a night or two.

He attributed the renewed tourist confidence to the presence and availability of fuel in gasoline stations going up to the city and even in the city, contrary to the previous months when tourists were hesitant to travel due to an uncertain fuel supply.

He added that the city's cool weather continues to attract tourists seeking a reprieve from the scorching heat in Metro Manila and other provinces. (PNA)