EDITORIAL - A safe place for tourists

It has always been said that in order for a place to become a tourist destination, all its officials need to do is plunge into a massive promotional campaign. Without an enormous marketing drive, tourist spots across Southeast Asia would not have been a global attraction today.

In the Philippines, Cebu has been a key destination for local and foreign tourists. For the past decades, it has become an important magnet for visitors eager to learn some facts of the country's religious and cultural history, and for those who want to savor its fine beaches across the province.

In fact, following an intensified promotional binge by local industry players, tourism has started to revolutionize, pushing Cebu and its neighboring provinces to the top of the list of the country's best tourist attractions.

However, local tourism industry leaders have expressed alarm over a United States advisory on possible risks to travel following the recent terrorist attacks in France that claimed more than a hundred lives.

In its advisory that expires on February 24 next year, the US government advises its citizens to avoid crowded areas and to "exercise particular caution during the holiday season and at holiday festivals or events."

Gravely concerned, tourism leaders in Cebu see the US advisory as having the potential to "create tension" in the industry, with businessman Jay Aldeguer saying the Paris attacks are enough reason for travelers to stay home.

Well, it is too early to tell whether the US travel advisory and the terror threats presently sweeping across Europe can seriously affect the vibrant tourism industry in the country, especially in Cebu and the rest of Central Visayas.

Based on the Department of Tourism records, Europeans are not among those on top of the list of foreigners visiting Central Visayas. While the Americans comprise 10 percent of foreign arrivals in the region, South Korea and Japan are still the largest overseas market.

We see no need for the local tourism industry to be alarmed by the US advisory and the terror threats in Europe. Instead, all it should do is intensify the campaign promoting Cebu as a safe place for foreign tourists.