Stakeholders present proposed projects

CEBU, Philippines - In order to attain the goals envisioned in the recently-launched Cebu tourism roadmap, specific programs and project proposals were presented for the province to work on in the span of five years. 

The Cebu Strategic Tourism Development Plan prepared by the Cebu Coalition of Fourteen Business Chambers and Civil Service Organizations translated the National Tourism Development Plan into more doable actions at the local level while addressing tourism development issues at the same time.

Fernando “Perry” Fajardo, executive director of Cebu Business Club, said that it aims to establish a Cebu-wide tourism body that will take responsibility in leading, coordinating and planning the development of tourism in Cebu. 

He cited that the growth of foreign tourist arrivals in Cebu has been higher than the increase in the number of domestic tourists which could be considered as an asset for the province.

The annual growth rate from 2008 to 2011 was recorded at 11.9 percent for foreign arrivals while domestic tourist arrivals grew at 7.1 percent. 

Although Cebu has been left behind by other international destinations such as Bali and Phuket, he added that foreign tourist arrivals in Cebu doubled from 474,720 in 2005 to 833,441 in 2010. 

With such figures, he noted in an analysis that external opportunities for Cebu cover the resumption in global growth of tourism, expanding growth in local tourism due to strong remittances and budget airfares, and improved Philippine image with 20 notches improvement in the Global Competitiveness Report from 2010 to 2012. 

He said, however, that external threats should also be considered such as strong regional competition with other Asian countries, more local competitors like Boracay, Camsur, Bohol, Davao and North Luzon, slowdown in Europe and United States and rising oil prices. 

He also named six tourism clusters and products that Cebu can offer which include the Mainland Metro Cebu for MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and events), historical events, educational, medical and retirement tourism, Mactan-Olango Island, Southern Cebu, North Cebu-Bantayan and Malapascua Islands, Midwest Cebu and Camotes-Pilar Islands.

Fajardo further cited specific project proposals to be taken into account in the implementation of the Cebu tourism roadmap 2012 – 2016. 

For immediate programs in the next two years, projects such as the creation of a Cebu-wide tourism body, a one-stop tourist information and service center, Cebu tourism marketing and promotion program, beautification project, Mactan Circumferential road widening, Naga-Carcar road widening, preparation of Metro Cebu Development Master Plan and Mactan Island Tourism Master Plan and the updating of Cebu City Circumferential Road study are recommended.

Under the short-term list of two to three years, programs include the Cebu City Bus Rapid Transit, new Mactan Airport Terminal, road widening of Hernan Cortes Street, Tayud provincial and Talisay-Naga, Cebu North Coastal Road constructions, and mountain barangay tourism development projects. 

Project proposals such as the construction of Cebu circumferential road, Olango Eco-tourism bird sanctuary development project, Mactan Aqua-ville tourism development project, municipal tourist pier development project, widening of Cebu City-Hagnaya Port Road and Cebu southwest road widening project are cited for the medium-term list of specific programs within three to five years. 

After the declaration of support from tourism industry players, business groups, local chief executives and legislators, Fajardo said that the Cebu tourism roadmap is targeted to be finished by yearend and will be presented to the government for implementation.  (FREEMAN)