CEBU CITY–Korea continues to be the top tourism market for Central Visayas in 2019 with over 1.579 million tourists visiting the island or an increase of 17.49 percent over the 1.344 million in 2018.
China came in second with 762,583, higher by 21 percent over the 621,993 registered in 2018.
The next six spots were occupied by Japan (548,627); United States (275,161); Taiwan (135,126); Australia (78,464); United Kingdom (64,860); and Germany (59,786).
Total foreign tourists in 2019 reached more than 4.3 million, an increase of around 18 percent over 2018’s figure of 3.634 million.
Shalimar Tamano, regional director of the Department of Tourism in Central Visayas, noted that the growth in foreign tourists was achieved although Boracay had already been opened to tourists.
According to Tamano, Cebu had accommodated hundreds of thousands of tourists who were supposed to have gone to Boracay when the island destination was closed.
Meanwhile, Tamano said domestic arrivals in 2019 also grew to more than 5.118 million, from over 4.465 million in 2018.
Cebu remains the top tourist destination in the region. In 2019, the province accounted for 63 percent of domestic arrivals and 79 percent of foreign arrivals.
Bohol posted 17 percent share in both domestic and foreign tourists while Negros Oriental’s share in domestic and foreign tourists reached 18 percent and two percent, respectively.
Siquijor only got two percent share in both domestic and foreign arrivals, respectively.
Tamano also disclosed that tourism receipts or earnings reached P97 billion based on the P1,200 average spending for domestic tourists and P6,597 spent daily by foreign travelers.
The tourists are projected to have an average 3-day stay in the region.
Tamano also credited the increase in the number of international flights last year for the growth in tourist arrivals.
“Eleven international inaugural flights, six of these from China, were added to the region,” he added. /rcg