Tourism: Not all about promotion

Inarguably, Cebu’s economists are in unison as far as the identified drivers of local economy are concern.   These are tourism, business process outsourcing (BPO) and export. If we are keen enough, we would notice that these are foreign-money driven. Tourism largely depends on foreign tourists’ spending. Obviously, BPOs and exports cater to foreign companies’ need. However, while the BPO industry has sustained us, exports of goods have remained undesirable and tourism is becoming to be a big disappointment.  

Truth to tell, nowadays, Cebu’s tourism performance is lackadaisical. Rightly so, because after dominating for a span of time, last year’s results showed Cebu lagging behind Metro Manila and Camarines Sur (CamSur) in key performance statistics.   Based on a report from the Department of Tourism (DOT), CamSur posted an incremental growth of 52.90 percent from January to September 2010 (compared to the same period in 2009) in tourist arrivals. CamSur counts among its tourist arrivals in 2010 some 310,063 foreigners (2009 was 206,937) for a growth rate of 49.83 percent and l,569,109 domestic travelers (2009 was l,229,029) for an incremental growth of 53.52 percent. Metro Manila ranked second place with a growth rate of 20.93 percent last year. Boracay was in third position with a growth rate of 19.85 percent, while Cebu frustratingly placed sixth with a dismal 6.42 percent growth rate.

Unlike election results, these statistics are unquestioned and will remain unquestionable. Cebu, the unseated leader, has a lot to be concerned about. Likewise, the Cebu tourism players cannot take this unfavorable developments sitting down. Let us all remember that we are spending millions in promoting the island through Cebu City’s world-renowned Sinulog and the Province’s “Suroy-suroy Sugbo” and yet, ironically, we only placed sixth in terms of growth.   

Setting aside political biases, we must accept that a problem does exist. Therefore, it is paramount that we should know what went wrong. Probably, we can start with our product. So that, the more appropriate question is, are we promoting a good product? Or, quite bluntly, in one of our multi-million promotions, are we promoting a product or funding a politician’s dream of expanding and strengthening her political clout.

Understanding Metro Manila’s and Camarines Sur’s dominance isn’t difficult to do. In these two new dominant players, the right infrastructures are in place. The world-class Camarines Sur Watersport Complex (CWC) and the Gota Village Resort in Caramoan remain to be the top attraction in CamSur’s indefatigable tourism push.

In optimizing its infrastructures’ potentials, the CWC (where one of the best cable parks of the world is located) continuously enticed top wake-boarders from all over the world by holding international competitions. To recall, last year, the province hosted the 5th and final leg of the World Wake Association (WWA) 2010 World Series dubbed the Ultimate Wake Championship. Such event drew over 100 wake riders from 30 countries. On the other hand, Metro Manila is drawing thousands of visitors daily at its Newport Entertainment City and the Manila Oceanarium or Manila Ocean Park. 

With these startling realities right in our faces, let us in unison diagnose the problems.   Honestly, knowing the causes does not need the services of a rocket scientist’s precise mind. What we need is for all of us, unbiased Cebuanos, to equip ourselves with plain and simple common sense and for those clothed with greed to throw away their vested interests.  

For one, our promotions aren’t well spent. For instance, with Gov. Garcia’s popularity plummeting (as the election result showed), she (in her usual flare) is again into the Suroy Suroy Sugbo tour, to promote faces, not places.   As usual, you shall see much not the island of Cebu or its tourist spots in the print ads, tarps and flyers but the face of Gov. Gwen Garcia in unequalled prominence. As it normally goes, it shall again be undertaken not to promote tourism in the island but her political interest. Unfortunately, it shall be again undertaken not as a tool to ameliorate fellow “probinsyanos” but for pure personal publicity stunt.  

Gov. Garcia and her wards know exactly that in tourism, the focus is the place or its people. Therefore, tourists visit even the remotest areas that interest them. “Suroy-suroy Sugbo” is undertaken differently. Here, the tourists drop in one place. Then, the locals (including children who shall skip classes) gather around them. Therefore, the attractions are the tourists (including Gov. Gwen and other political figures), not the places and its people. Sadly, they call this tourism.

Apart from the politically motivated “Suroy-suroy Sugbo”, we tried to sell the Cebu brand but haven’t really looked into our products. For instance, we opened our gates through the world-renowned annual “Sinulog Festival” (and rightly so), but as soon as the euphoria brought about by the festivities subsides and tourists start to frolic, they shall discover several discomforting realities.

Tourists as they are, they travel a lot. Therefore, they will be frequent users of our public transportation facilities, terminals included. As they do, they will soon find out that apart from our Mactan International Airport and Port terminals of some established shipping companies, comfort rooms are so filthy. That some of our bus terminals’ facilities are so messy and poorly maintained. As they visit historical sites like Parian’s monument, they walk and drink a lot under humid conditions and can’t find places for comfort (toilets) when nature calls. Some might even throw up at the sight of human wastes (mostly, wastes from informal settlers) as they stroll along boulevards and skywalks.  

Sometimes, they tour around the Island of Cebu, hopping from one town to another to take first-hand experiences of those must publicized festivals or join “Suroy-suroy Sugbo” only to find out that these LGUs do not even have decent toilets.

As an island province, ours are all coastal cities and municipalities. Each LGU has its own stretches of shorelines or beaches. They are all bragging about the serenity of their beaches and relentlessly inviting tourists to take a dip, as if, it is the only prerequisite.   Known to all of us, our public markets are situated just several meters from the shorelines, some are even so near the beaches. Unknown however, to most of us, these beaches are made receptacles of these public markets’ leftovers and wastes.

Unequivocally, we truly understand the necessity of promoting our tourism potentials both here and abroad. The need to inform potential market of our rich cultural heritage, historical sites and serene beaches is unquestionable. In doing so however, we must bear in mind that a promotion’s success cannot go beyond the potentials of the product it pushes.

“Suroy-suroy Sugbo” is one such promotion. It has been undertaken for so long with the governor tagging along a little over a hundred guests, each time, as props. Certainly, this politically motivated promotional activity is not giving us any return as tourism statistics would show. Absolutely, looking at it (in any angle) makes right thinking Cebuanos scream of its waste and selfish intentions. 

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