Total tourist traffic in the top fourteen (14) destinations in 2009 reached 8.9 million for 14% growth. This feat is attributed to the combined efforts of the Department of Tourism, the private sector, local government units and other stakeholders to continually diversify the tourism products, increase accommodation and transport capacities, and upgrade existing tourism services.
Cebu is the top destination with tourist traffic increasing by 1.2% to 1.61 million. Korea remained the top tourist market for Cebu accounting for 29% share of total foreign tourists. Notably, Chinese tourists to Cebu remarkably grew by 70% as more charter flights were mounted between Cebu and Shanghai, as well as to Guangzhou. A hefty growth in tourists from Kuwait was also recorded as students from the said markets streamed to Cebu for short-educational programs. Continue Reading »