[ Manila Bulletin Online ] October 5, 2008
By MALOU M. MOZO and MARS W. MOSQUEDA
CEBU CITY – Cebu’s attractiveness as a tourist destination is not only defined by its world-class beaches and resorts, it has also become a magnet for special interest tours.
National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (Naitas) chairman Angel Ramos Bognot said special interest tours are those involving diving, golf, pilgrimages, health and wellness, cuisines, and shopping.
While Cebu is popular as a leisure destination among foreign tourists, Bognot said tourism stakeholders see growing awareness of activities like pilgrimages, spas, shopping and heritage tours.
"Cebu is no longer about beaches. Many tourists have seen the other potentials of the province in terms of special interest tours," she said.
Religious tourism is a "growing prospective" in the local tourism industry since Cebu has been regarded as the seat of Christianity in the Philippines, said Department of Tourism (DoT) 7 director Patria Aurora Roa.
"We have strong pilgrimage tours not only during Holy Week. If you see the Sto. Niño church every Friday, it’s packed with devotees, not only Cebuanos but Filipinos from all over the country and the world," Roa said.
The Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu, the national shrine of the Holy Child of Cebu, is the center of religious activities in January, when Cebu City celebrates the feast of the Sto. Niño and holds the Sinulog celebration.
The image of the Holy Child has been regarded by many of its believers to be miraculous.
Bognot said, though, that when it comes to religious tourism, most of the tourists who come to Cebu are balikbayans and only a few are Europeans.
"They have so many of these pilgrimages and shrines in Europe," Bognot said, adding that most European tourists opt to stay in Cebu’s beach resorts.
The Philippines is also becoming a shopping destination, luring many Asians, she added.
"Asians, like Koreans and Japanese, love to go to the mall," said Bognot, adding that garments and other goods sold in department stores here are at least twice cheaper than those in Japan or in Korea.
