Business head: Right timing for Cebu’s recognition as 2nd friendliest island in world

Tourists have appreciated the friendliness of the Cebuanos, which is one of the factors that reminds them of their visit in Cebu.
CDN FILE PHOTO

Perfect timing

Cebu’s being named as the second friendliest island in the world by a New York-based travel magazine came at the right time when Cebu and Central Visayas have been besieged by negative reports, travel advisories and the Bohol encounter between government forces and the suspected terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members on Tuesday.

Travel + Leisure earlier in the month named Cebu as the second friendliest island in the world, trailing behind Palawan.

Edilberto Mendoza, president of the Cebu Association of Tour Operations Specialists (Catos), said this recognition comes just in time amid all the negative reports circulating about the province and the region recently.

“Cebu has always been friendly with foreigners. Terrorists are obviously not from here. They might be here because they know that trade and commerce is here and a better opportunity for them to sow terror. That’s why we will never allow them to succeed,” said Mendoza, who was referring to the Bohol encounter and the travel warnings issued over Central Visayas.

The US Embassy in Manila on Sunday issued a travel advisory, warning American citizens to be careful when visiting Central Visayas amid terrorist and kidnapping threats in the region.

Following confirmation from national police, countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia also issued their respective travel advisories.

Ensure safety

Mendoza said other countries, especially allies of the US, follow suit whenever America issues a travel advisory.

“What we can do now is to ensure that the Philippine National Police will really do all means possible to assure foreigners who are already here of their safety and security by their presence,” he said.

Aside from Palawan and Cebu, Travel+Leisure also recognized all of Luzon as well as Boracay as the third and fourth friendliest islands in the world, respectively.

“While the politics of the nation has grown ever-more volatile, the people of the islands remain friendly to visitors exploring their scenic home,” Jess McHugh of T+L wrote in an article published on the magazine’s website last April 1.

McHugh said for most travelers, it is especially helpful that English is one of the Philippines’ official languages and that islanders are so welcoming to tourists.

Friendly locals

The magazine described Cebu as a “former Spanish colony” with people still traveling to see the remaining architecture from that period.
Cebu’s helpful locals are also one of the island’s greatest quality, T+L said.

T+L asked respondents in its World’s Best Awards survey in 2016 to rate their travel experiences across the globe, evaluating everything from cruise lines and airports to resorts, cities, and hotels.

When it came to islands, readers scored the best based on characteristics such as charm and the friendliness of its people, T+L said.

Friendliest islands

Rounding off the list of friendliest islands in the world are Waiheke, New Zealand (5th); Ischia, Italy (6th); Tasmania, Australia (7th); Fiji Islands (8th); Bali, Indonesia (9th); Great Barrier Reef Islands (10th); Moorea (11th); Paros, Greece (12th); Bora Bora (13th); Exhumas, Bahamas (14th); and Caye Culker, Belize (15th).

In T+L’s World’s Best Awards in 2016, Cebu was recognized as the world’s sixth best island.

Palawan ranked first in T+L’s list of Best Islands in the World in 2016, followed by Boracay in second place.

T+L, which is published and owned by Time Inc., comes out 12 times a year and has around five million readers.

Bright spot

The recognition is a bright spot in the tourism industry in Cebu, which is one of the main economic drivers of its economy.

Data from the Department of Tourism in Central Visayas (DOT-7) showed that Cebu welcomed 3.4 million tourists from January to November 2016.
The DOT-7 is expected to release complete tourism statistics for 2016 this month.

Meanwhile, tourist arrivals into the country last year reached only 5.9 million, short of its 6-million target by 100,000 visitors.

According to the DOT Central Office, this could be attributed to several typhoons that visited the country in 2016 which caused the cancellation of around 200 international and domestic flights as well as of several tours in December alone.

Nonetheless, the national government targets to attract 6.5 million visitors this year.