Cebu cited for good system on tourism

CEBU, Philippines - The province of Cebu was recognized by the Department of Tourism and the Japan International Cooperation Agency as one of the top Local Government Units having an efficient system for tourism development.

DOT and JICA honored Cebu along with eight other LGUs for being top implementers of an efficient system for tourism development.

Cebu province was likewise cited for being top implementer of the DOT-JICA Technical Cooperation Program for the Development of Tourism Statistics System for LGUs.

With the technical assistance from JICA, tourism officers from the different cities and municipalities in Regions 4, 6, and 7 were trained on data and statistics gathering from the various stakeholders related to the tourism industry.

The data collected are analyzed and recorded to serve as a source of information for the formulation of a tourism development plan.

The system can help determine the tourist arrivals in each LGU with the tally of the daily occupancy of the different accommodation establishments, as well as the number of visitors in the various tourist attractions.

The tourists are also categorized according to their origin, whether local or foreign.

Provincial Tourism Officer Mary Grace Paulino said their effort in the religious submission of the collected data on time has earned this recognition.

The data from this statistics would help them know and anticipate the demand which would serve as basis for tourism planning and for the improvement of infrastructure.

Delilah Colonia, project development assistant of the Provincial Planning and Development Office, said that only 15 tourism officers have completed the ladderized program but they have echoed the training to the other LGUs to facilitate their reports. 

The Municipality of Dalaguete and Talisay City have also topped the regional level, emerging 1st and 2nd place respectively. – Niña G. Sumacot/FPL (THE FREEMAN)