CV tourism slumps 59% in Q1 despite ASEAN meetings boost

CEBU, Philippines — Central Visayas’ tourism industry got off to a weaker-than-expected start in 2026, with visitor arrivals falling sharply in the first quarter despite the region hosting a series of high-profile ASEAN meetings that drew international delegates and showcased Cebu and Bohol as premier destinations.

Data from the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development’s (DEPDev) Regional Economic Situationer showed tourist arrivals in Bohol fell 59 percent year-on-year to 170,016 in the January-to-March period from 417,142 a year earlier, as both domestic and foreign travel weakened. Domestic arrivals declined 73 percent, while foreign visitors dropped 40 percent.

The slowdown contrasts with Central Visayas’ prominent role in regional diplomacy and tourism promotion ahead of the 48th ASEAN Summit in May. Cebu and Bohol hosted several key gatherings during the quarter, including the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat, ASEAN Tourism Forum, ASEAN Travel Exchange and the First ASEAN Senior Economic Officials’ Meeting, bringing government officials, industry leaders and delegates from across Southeast Asia.

The events boosted short-term visitor traffic and reinforced the region’s credentials as a meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) destination, but failed to offset broader weakness in leisure travel.

Provincial tourism officials said East Asia remained Cebu Province’s largest international source market, led by visitors from South Korea, China, Japan and Taiwan, while Europe, North America and ASEAN countries also contributed to inbound arrivals.

Hotel performance also softened. Partial data showed lower room occupancy, fewer occupied guest rooms and a decline in guest nights during the first quarter even as accommodation capacity continued to expand.

Regional planners attributed the decline partly to incomplete reporting but also pointed to mounting global and domestic headwinds, including geopolitical tensions, higher fuel prices, rising airfares and increased travel uncertainty.

Officials also cited intensifying competition from other destinations, shifting travel patterns and environmental pressures.

Even with the weaker start, authorities remain optimistic about the sector’s longer-term outlook as Central Visayas strengthens its position in the MICE market.

During the quarter, Bohol enacted its Sustainable Tourism Development Code and finalized its implementing rules, while Virgin Island reopened after a two-year closure.

Cebu also launched the “Cebu MICE Guide 2025”, a directory featuring about 300 MICE-ready establishments and service providers.

The region’s long-term tourism fundamentals also remain intact. A study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies found that Central Visayas attracted 31.5 million foreign visitors between 2000 and 2024, making it the country’s most visited region by international travelers over the period.

The ASEAN Tourism Standards Awards also recognized Cebu’s hospitality sector, with bai Hotel Cebu and Shangri-La Mactan Cebu Resort & Spa receiving MICE Venue Awards, while Shangri-La’s Chi, The Spa won the ASEAN Spa Services Standard Award.

Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism’s Central Visayas office launched the “Cebu and Bohol Turista iWAS Scam” campaign in March after nearly 200 online travel scam incidents reported by tourism establishments in Cebu and Bohol resulted in losses of about ?1 million, reflecting the need to strengthen traveler protection as the region works to revive visitor growth.