PHOTO FROM SUNSTAR FIILE IMPROVING TOURISM. In this 2017 file photo, several tourists visit the Bukilat Cave within Tudela town in the Camotes Islands. Following quarantine restrictions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, tourism activities across Cebu were halted until 2021 when the national government slowly lifted some limitations to revive local travel and leisure. A year since local travel actions returned, an US-based traveling manual has named Cebu as one of 50 Best Places to Travel in 2023. The guideline cited Moalboal and the Camotes and Bantayan Island destinations as perfect destinations for beachgoers.
Cebu places nineteenth, the only destination within the Philippines to make it to the list.
Cebu is also one of only five locations within Asia that make it towards the listing, the others being Bhutan, which ranks second; Uzbekistan, ninth; Xiaoliuqiu, Taiwan, 29th; plus Chiang Rai, Thailand, 34th.
Journey Lemming reported Cebu for its island adventures, saying: “Visitors can swim with whale sharks, go canyoneering down cascading waterfalls… and so much more. ”
“Perfect for all types of visitors, Cebu allows you to indulge in both thrilling experiences and waterfront relaxation. If you seek the latter, set your sights on Moalboal, Camotes plus Bantayan Destinations, all known for their scenic white-sand beaches, ” the online take a trip guidebook said.
It specifically mentioned Oslob, Bantayan Island and Kawasan Falls as “places to visit, ” stating December to May is the best time to visit.
Bantayan Tropical isle in the extreme northwest of Cebu hosts three towns: Bantayan, Madridejos plus Santa Fe.
Placing first on the 50 Best Areas traveling in 2023 list is Lafayette, Louisiana; followed by Bhutan; Utila, Honduras; Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar; and Kosovo.
The particular places placing sixth in order to tenth are Salento, Colombia; Vanuatu; Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia; Uzbekistan plus Detroit, Michigan.
The list is dominated by the United States, which usually accounted for 20 of the fifty greatest locations to go to, accompanied by Europe, seven areas to see; North America, six places; Asian countries, 5 locations; Africa, Oceania and South America, having four best areas each to check out.
Reacting to the development Thursday, Bantayan Mayor Arthur Despi expressed hope that the flow associated with local plus international vacationers would return to normal in order to help the particular economy recover from the Covid-19 outbreak that has pummeled global travel.
Despi stated only a few travelers so far had visited the town this year amid the particular easing of Covid-19 restrictions in the country and that the visitor numbers are still far down from pre-pandemic levels.
He mentioned nearby tourists were the most common visitors to Bantayan.
“Of course, our locals, because they compare our own location to Boracay (in Western Visayas). If they go to Boracay, how much might they pay? So they decide to come to Bantayan instead because it’s nearer, costs less and is faster to reach. ”
Despi said tourists usually frequented towards the weekend, starting from Wednesday in order to Sunday.
In the initial eight months of this year, Cebu Province, where the places Traveling Lemming specified while places to visit are located, welcomed 11, 453 foreign arrivals, along with Daanbantayan the top destination, 3, 779 international visitors, then Danao City (2, 147), Oslob (1, 773) and Santa claus Fe within the Bantayan Islands (1, 421), according to the Department associated with Tourism.
The tri-cities drew more foreign vacationers over the same period: 64, 240 within Cebu Town, 66, 065 inside Lapu-Lapu City plus twenty, 741 with regard to Mandaue Town.
It was just upon Feb. 10, 2022, or nearly two years after the pandemic was declared, that this Philippines reopened its borders to international travelers. (CTL, MKG)
