EDITORIAL - Overreaction

To lure foreign tourists, resorts in Lapu-Lapu City are reportedly offering up to 50 percent discount to their customers from September 20 to December 20 this year. The offer was in response to the August 23 hostage crisis in Manila that left at least eight Hong Kong tourists dead.

In a meeting on Friday, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza and executives from leading resorts in that city launched a campaign called the "Lapu-Lapu City - The Island Experience" to attract more tourists to visit the island.

They hope to turn the Manila hostage fiasco into an opportunity for the city to divert the flow of tourists to the island. They, however, admitted that the incident had affected the island's vibrant tourism industry as it resulted in several booking cancellations.

Many would say the discount offer was the right thing to do following the incident. Some would see it as magnet for foreign tourists who are wary over their security in the capital.

But on the other side, the discount offer clearly displayed the overreaction of the resorts and the city government of Lapu-Lapu to the hostage crisis. They should have taken a different approach in their effort to maintain tourist confidence in the island.

   This approach should center on what should be done by the city, resort owners and the police to ensure the safety of tourists.

   It's easy to offer 100 percent discount for tourists to come. But if they doubt about their safety, whatever bonus that awaits them will never erase the thought that any lapses in their security may cost their lives.      

   Thailand was rocked by an upheaval far worse than the Manila hostage crisis. But thousands of tourists still flock to Chiang Mai and Phuket because Thai authorities have taken their security a foremost priority.

Lapu-Lapu City and the rest of Cebu have what it takes to give Thailand's tourist attractions a run for their money. All local authorities have to do is promote Cebu as a safe place for tourists.