Tourism stakeholders remain unperturbed by the UK travel warning

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Cebu tourism stakeholders stay unfazed by the newly-issued travel warning from the UK government, explaining that it’s an isolated case.

They stated that this will not reduce the arrivals to the province, which has been diminishing healthy arrivals from the start of the year.

However, the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC) also did not discount the possibility of slight cancellations following the advisory.

“This travel advisory is an isolated case. It will not lessen the tourist arrivals this month. We may receive slight cancellation but it would be minor. Tourist arrival in Cebu is still high,” said HRRAC president Carlo Suarez.

In the meantime, tourism advocate Jonathan Jay Aldeguer mentioned that he is in a dilemma why the southern part of Cebu was taken into the advisory when it is far from where the bombing incident took place.

But he is convinced that tourists will not be discouraged from visiting Cebu.

“I’m puzzled how southern Cebu is included in the advisory. While any form of advisory can be detrimental to tourism, I don’t think our bigger international markets that include the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese will be affected by this,” said Aldeguer.

On Sunday, at least 20 people lost their lives and others were injured due to the bomb attacks on a Roman Catholic Church on Jolo Island in Sulu Province.

The incident encouraged the UK to lift up travel warning to western and central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago due to terrorist activity and clashes between the military and insurgent groups.

It incorporated in its travel advisory all travels to the remainder of Mindanao (excluding Camiguin, Dinagat and Siargao Islands) and to the south of Cebu province, up to and including the municipalities of Dalaguete and Badian, as a result of terrorism threat.

« Back to Page

• Cebu’s vibrant tourism is back