Fort San Pedro will be one of the tourist spots that APEC delegates will visit. (CDN FILE PHOTO)
Government agencies are working together to show visiting high-level officials from 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies that Cebu is a work-and-play destination.
Joel Garganera, vice president of the Liga ng mga Barangay in Cebu City, said local governments will have to “complement each other” and cooperate in order to present the entire province as a place where people can “mix business with pleasure.”
“When we showcase Cebu, we are one. We send one message in that Cebu is one when it comes to tourism, sports hub and business,” he said in a press conference on the local governments’ role in the hosting of the APEC meetings starting Aug. 22.
Cebu provincial information officer Ethel T. Natera said the success of the APEC meetings here could translate to more job opportunities and investments in Cebu.
“It’s a chance for the province to gain more investments if the province will be able to convince the delegates that Cebu is an ideal environment for business and pleasure,” she said.
Natera, who also heads the Cebu organizing committee, said they will be showcasing the various tourism destinations in the province while strengthening trade ties with other APEC economies.
A complimentary tour of Cebu City has been prepared for the delegates. Lapu-Lapu City will be promoting its beaches and products while Mandaue City will endorse its industries, like rattan furniture manufacturing and broom making.
Provincial Board Member Celestino Martinez III, who is also the president of the Liga ng mga Barangay in Cebu, said there isn’t much that needs to be done to promote Cebu.
“It’s just a matter of bringing them around, being able to respond to their needs, and hopefully, we can also find time for them to venture around, not just in (Cebu) city but also in other tourist destinations in the province,” he said in a press conference yesterday on the role of local governments in hosting the APEC meetings.
The Trade and Tourism departments have also arranged special tour packages that showcase not only the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue, but also the nearby islands.
Delegates can choose from eight optional tours, namely, the Cebu Island Arts and Crafts Industry Tour, Island Hopping Safari, Cebu Highlands Tour, South Countryside Tour and Village Experience, Dive Cebu, Cebu Food Trip, Spa and Wellness Package and the Bohol-In-A-Day Adventure.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is also looking at establishing counters in several key locations to showcase the business opportunities in the province as well as handmade products and souvenirs.
Cebu will host the Third APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting starting Aug. 22 as well as ministerial meetings on structural reforms, finance, transport and energy between September and October. More than 3,000 delegates are expected to arrive along with their family members.