CEBU - The Midwest is the favorite place for tourists to visit, this according to Provincial Board member Agnes Magpale, chairwoman of the committee on tourism and international affairs, during yesterday’s general meeting on the Cebu Provincial Tourism and Heritage Council.
There are five Suroy-Suroy Sugbo packages —Southern Heritage Trail, Northern Escapade, Discover Enchanting Camotes, Urban Adventure and Explore the Midwest.
Through questionnaire, tourists were asked if they planned to return and 97 percent of those who took the Midwest tour responded favorably. The midwest Suroy Suroy Sugbo covers the towns of Aloguinsan, Pinamungajan, Toledo City, Balamban, Asturias and Tuburan of the third district and Tabuelan of the fourth district.
After the midwest, the Northern Escape had a 95 percent favorable response, the Urban Adventure, 92 percent; the Discover Enchanting Camotes, 89 percent and Southern Heritage Trail, 88 percent.
Suroy-Suroy Sugbo started in 2004 after the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry sought financial support from the provincial government for its annual Cebu Business Month.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia told CCCI officials: “How can I justify spending the province’s resources on an activity that’s mainly focused on Cebu City?”
This led the CCCI to draw up a tourism initiative in the form of a caravan tours Cebu towns, it also handled the first tours.
In 2005, under its newly-formed Tourism and Heritage Council, the provincial government assumed operation of the caravan.
From less than 10 festivals in 2004, Garcia said that Cebu now holds the record for the most number of festivals, with about 46 celebrated across the province.
The Suroy-Suroy has also opened up opportunities for local communities to earn as homegrown products and handicrafts are showcased at every stop.
Garcia also gave credit to the local government units for the success of the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo.
“The participation of local chief executives spelled a very big difference as the towns would try to outdo each other in terms of preparations. They kept on raising the bar as to what they would present to the visiting caravan,” Garcia said. — Garry B. Lao/BRP (THE FREEMAN)