A year after Yolanda: Malapascua, Bantayan now ready for tourists

CEBU, Philippines - Tourist arrivals in the islands of Malapascua and Bantayan have remained sluggish due to misconceptions that the islands have not yet recovered from Yolanda’s wrath.

Exactly one year today, super typhoon Yolanda, believed to be the strongest typhoon in history that made landfall, brought vast devastation in Eastern Visayas and the northern part of Cebu.

The islands of Bantayan and Malapascua were among those that took the hardest blows of the typhoon destroying the islands’ major economic driver – tourism.            

Today, although slight recovery had been felt, still a lot of tourists are hesitant to visit the islands with the notion that these areas have not got back on its feet again.

The Department of Tourism in partnership with the private sector aims to promote the islands to allay the highly speculative notions on the destinations and bring back business in the area.

DOT wants to let the domestic and international tourists to know that, although full recovery is still underway, the islands are ready to welcome visitors once more.

While the disaster’s impact could still be seen in those places one year after, the tourism agency asserts the tourism business should operate whatever the circumstances.

Regional Director Rowena Lu Montecillo of DOT Central Visayas told tourists that Bantayan and Malapascua Islands, for instance, are now geared up to accommodate guests.

“It didn't take long for the private sector to recover although, of course, there were really challenges,” Montecillo told The FREEMAN in an interview. “We want to tell everybody that the northern Cebu (especially the two islands) have been ready since even the middle of this year.”

The director dispelled beliefs that issues on damaged structures and busted investment climate in those areas have remained big problems.

“It’s just a matter of stigma. They are afraid to go there because there might be no water or electricity. But we want to make the people aware that the northern part of Cebu are now ready to accept tourists,” Montecillo said.

She admitted though that last summer, following the Yolanda disaster, there was a significant drop in the volume of tourists visiting the islands that were hardly hit by the storm due to the presumed vastness of the destruction. Other properties though only sustained minimal damage.

But she believes tourism players are slowly making the business brisk again.

“Cebu-based tour operators are selling again Bantayan and Malapascua just to show to the tourists that they are ready. It’s a matter of convincing people to come,” she said.

The recovery may take time for the affected areas, but the tourism official believes in the capability of the private sector to perk up the lively tourism industry which Cebu has been known for.

In a previous interview, Daanbantayan Mayor Augusto Corro said the businesses in the town have been able to revive normal operations faster.

The town mayor noted Malapascua, which is part of the town has slowly regained the presence of both local and foreign tourists although recovery of the local communities is ongoing.

“It will take time but then I’m sure tourism is in the hearts of the people for so many years," Montecillo said.

Director Efren Carreon of the regional National Economic and Development Authority earlier said some industry players in the tourism sector are still struggling to rise from the havoc, as based on the reports he received from some resort operators in northern Cebu.

"Although they told me that they have started receiving new visitors and they have been rebuilding," he said in a separate interview.

PPAs

In addition, the DOT has implemented Yolanda-related programs, plans and activities (PPAs) with various organizations to revive the tourism industry in the typhoon-stricken towns in northern Cebu.

The Promotion of Green Economic Development of GIZ funded a planning for tourism development through the Tourism Value Chain Analysis Approach to help the tourism stakeholders in Bantayan Island.

The same organization funded the upgrading plan and progress reporting of Bantayan’s tourism value and sustainability as a tourism destination.

For product and market development, the national DOT conducted a focus group discussion with dive shop operators, local government representatives and other stakeholders on site assessment in Malapascua Island and on restoring Thresher Sharks wildlife in the locality.

It also invited Russian dive operators, dive club managers and people in the diving community to a familiarization tour in the island.

In addition, the United States Agency for International Development also examined various areas on tourism growth such as product offerings, marketing strategies, access and connectivity, destination infrastructure and quality of human resources and tourism governance. The USAID recommended ways to increase the competitiveness of these areas.

A P250,000 budget from the Budget Department’s General Appropriations Act was given to Medellin town for the improvement of its existing tourist facilities through building new facilities and getting new equipment.

The same amount was also initially handed over to the town of Poro in Camotes Island for tourism awareness and teaching the locals on community-based tour guiding. San Remigio town also received P255,000 for the construction of visitors’ information center.

Tourist arrivals

Central Visayas’ total visitor arrivals in the first quarter of this year increased by 0.28 percent to 1,805,100 from 1,800,139 from the same period in 2013. Domestic visitor arrivals in Q1 of 2014 hiked by 1.16 percent to 1,120,236 from 1,107,420 in same period last year. Foreign tourists in the region decreased by 1.13 percent.

The DOT is expecting more tourists to arrive during the holiday season and the summer next year. The agency is targeting local and foreign tourist arrivals to reach 3.3 million this year.

"We will have to be ready. What is really important for the DOT is when tourists come kinahanglan nga di ta masawayan. So that later on they are the ones already promoting the province," Montecillo stated.

"Right now, with regards to the number of arrivals we can't say the warm bodies are now really coming. But, we are expecting the influx during the peak season – November, December, March and summer," she added.

People's livelihood

Majority of workers in the tourism sector there are local islanders whose livelihood rely on the performance of the industry.

No visitors may mean no work for the locals but more hopes and good prospects surround the industry which has driven Cebu's economy for many years.

"Cebu has always been active when it comes to tourism. Tourism is the life of the Cebuanos. It's part of our lives. It's not only for the guests, Cebuanos have also accepted tourism as an industry already," she concluded.  (FREEMAN)