The selected site for this project is Cebu City, located in Cebu Island at the central part of the Philippines archipelago. Cebu City is one of the country’s major tourist destinations. In 2012 alone, two million tourists were recorded to have visited the island from January to November. This figure was a 10.6% increase to the recorded number in the previous year which reached 1.8 million tourists (Sereno, 2013). Aside from the tourism industry’, the growth in Cebu’s’ marketing and services sectors were likewise noted. Such improvements also benefit Cebu’s thriving business sector.
Description of tourist destination
Cebu City is known as the “Queen City of the South” (Hudman & Jackson, 2003, p.461) and has a rich history and cultural attractions. It is considered the oldest settlement and became the very first chartered city in 1937. The Spanish colonizers reached Cebu in 1521 when it was already a fishing village ruled by a Rajah. The Spaniards and established a trading port in the island and named their settlement Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesus. Cebu City is an important landmark in Asia’s Christian tradition as it was considered the cradle of Christianity in the Far East. The city holds many of these religious and historical landmarks up to this day. These comprise part of the tourist attractions in the City. The Magellan’s Cross is a symbol of the arrival of Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan in the island and the conversion of the local inhabitants into Christianity. The Basilica del Santo Nino contains antique religious relics including the Child Jesus statue which is more than five centuries old. Fort San Pedro is a Spanish outpost constructed as a protection against locals’ attacks. There are also many more structures that speak of Cebu’s Spanish heritage, but all these culminate in the yearly Sinulog Festival, a celebration of the Child Jesus, that brings in millions of tourists both local and international. The annual cultural street dance party held every third Sunday of January brought in four million tourists in 2013 (Sunstar, 2013).
Cebu City is the Philippines second major city, next to the capital Manila, and it occupies a dominant role in the country’s business potfolio. The province of Cebu, of which the city is part of, is considered to be the country’s fastest growing economy. Cebu Province also is at the lead among the country’s 78 provinces, in terms of “gross assets, equity, and total income” (cebu.gov). Cebu also produces 9% of the Philippines’ total Philippine exports. Cebu City is the location of major educational institutions many of these established several centuries ago. The city is home to 2.3 million people and the languages spoken are Cebuano, English, and Fookien. Like the rest of the country, English is the official language in schools, government, and business.
The stakeholders in Cebu’s tourism industry include government, hospitality industry, and transport companies. The country’s Department of Tourism actively promotes Cebu internationally through the Its more fun in the Philippines campaign. The department has local counterparts in the city in-charge of coordinating and regulating tourism activities, such as the Cebu City Tourism Commission. The hospitality industry also forms associations such as the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC) and the Cebu Association of Tour Operators (CATO). The transport companies are grouped into the airlines, shipping, and car rentals. Cebu City is a popular destination for conferences and conventions. There are at least two international conventions that will take place in Cebu in the next couple of years. These two events are expected to “put Cebu on the World stage” according to the Cebu governor (Cebu Daily News, 2013). The first one is scheduled in 2015 and the second in 2016. The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting is a gathering of the leaders of 21 nations and which would also include the presence of US President Obama as well as state officials from the European Union and China. The event a year later is the International Eucharistic Congress. This early, 2013, Cebu City officials are already meeting with tourism stakeholders, such as the 2013 Tourism Congress in June, to motivate them to cooperate in the improvement of Cebu’s tourism industry.
The city has a large supply of accommodation for its visitors. As of 2012, the number of rooms is pegged at 5,083 and this number continues to grow with the ongoing renovations of facilities as well as the construction of new hotels. An addition 500 rooms is expected to be completed in 2013 (Garcia-Yap, 2012). Cebu City is definitely well-equipped to handle conventions of various sizes. Many of the hotels in the city has function rooms, ballrooms, and meeting rooms that can accommodate the needs of small to large groups. These include Shangrila Mactan Resort, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa, Raddisun Blu Hotel and Spa, and Crown Regency Suites Mactan. A full list of available hotels is provided in Table 1. The Cebu International Convention Center is another venue that has 12 meeting rooms and is just 10 km from the airport. This center was the venue of the 12th ASEAN Summit and the 2nd East Asia Summit held in January 2007.
Inbound tourism markets
Tourists come to Cebu for business, pleasure, and a combination of both. The inbound tourism markets of Cebu are local tourists, foreign tourists, and business delegates. The availability of convention facilities in the city makes it a popular destination for local companies to hold their conferences and rest & recreation or team-building activities in the city. Foreign visitors are Cebu’s regular clientele. The major groups from Asia that are Cebu’s primary markets are Japanese, Koreans, and Chinese. In terms of nationalities, visitors from Korea led the number of tourists for the year 2012 with a total of 285,390 visitors. This was followed by Japanese tourists numbering 132,974 (Garcia-Yap, 2012). In 2012, Local tourists from the Philippines other islands and provinces also come to the city to visit historic sites, enjoy the cultural environment, and shop in Cebu’s fashion establishments, both high-end and the cheaper alternatives.
Tourists who prefer to have a luxurious stay in Cebu can check in at the city’s five star hotels and resorts. These are mostly international chain of Hotels such as the Shangri-La. For those who are in a budget, they can stay at the three-star hotels which also offer excellent friendly service but with just basic amenities. The backpackers can avail of accommodation facilities provided by pension houses. The city offers shopping opportunities to tourists and visitors whatever the amount one is willing to spend. High end fashion establishments are located in the city’s malls. There are also more affordable options in other malls. The adventurous shoppers would definitely acquire a good find in the city’s markets and open air shopping areas. Cebu’s manufacturing industry has generated local high quality products that are patronized by local tourists for its cheaper prices. Part of Cebu’s attraction is its strategic location which enables tourists to visit neighboring towns and islands and engage in beach and sea activities such as diving and snorkeling. Domestic flights to Cebu are round the clock as well as bus trips. Shipping companies also operate 24/7 thus, commuters would often travel via Cebu City to reach their destinations.
The infrastructure in Cebu City can support international conferences. It has already shown in the past its capacity to host delegates from other countries who come for business meetings. The Mactan International Airport is mere minutes away from the city’s hotels and function rooms. Transportation from the airport is easily accessible and visitors have the options to choose between public and rentals. There are also hotels who provide shuttle services to its guests. The Mactan International Airport of Cebu is the alternative point of entry to the Philippines and international flights arrive in the airport regularly. Flying direct to Mactan airport from international destinations are Qatar Airways, Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Malaysia Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Airlines. Domestic travel is provided by Cebu Pacific Air, Air Philippines, Philippine Airlines, and Zest Air. The strategic location of the international airport of Cebu makes it possible to travel for only 3-4 hours from Cebu to 14 cities in Asia Pacific (Planet Action Adventure, n.d.). Shipping is an important industry in Cebu City as its natural port hosts numerous shipping lines both passenger and cargo. Car rentals and tour companies are also among tourism stakeholders. Cebu City is accessible by air, land, and sea. Within the city, local transport vehicles include taxis, jeepneys, cars/vans for rent, as well as motorcycles. Travels from the city to the neighboring towns are by bus, jeeps, and vans while travel to the neighboring islands is possible through sea, air, and land (buses and vans).
The city has an abundant array of restaurants, diners, and food establishments that serve both local and international cuisines. In terms of internet access, local internet companies provide strong signals throughout the city. There are also various options to avail for internet use and phone connections. All hotels provide internet services and assistance through their business centers. Language is not a major issue in Cebu City’s English literate population. Signs and instructions are written first in English and only translated to the local Cebuano language in some instances. Even street vendors can understand English and would be able to answer queries in simple English. The police is highly visible in Cebu City and government offices would readily provide support to visitors. Hospitals that provide world-class services are likewise operating in the city. The banking industry is well-established, thus tourists are able to conveniently use their credit cards in all major establishments and even in grocery stores. The annual Sinulog Festival, which is attended by millions of local and international tourists regularly tests Cebu City’s capabilities to handle its tourism industry. Since tourism is a primary revenue earner for the country, Cebu City continuously improves its services. The City government closely coordinates with the tourism stakeholders.
(4) Visitors bureau
Budget for the Annual Sinulog Festival in 2012 is detailed in the following table (Ccbu Daily News, 2011).
For conventions, the Plantation Bay Hotel in Cebu City charges 2,000 pesos ($45.5) per person for a whole day activity. This amount includes lunch, morning snack, afternoon snack, and flowing coffee or tea. For a half-day meeting, the same amenities are provided while the fee per person is 1,650 pesos ($37.5).
(5) New event in Cebu
The new event that will be launched in Cebu is a business conference that will be participated by delegations from the Philippines and neighboring countries. It shall be scheduled a week before the Sinulog festival to provide an option for delegates to witness the festival. Since this falls on an extremely busy season, preparations for the conference will be made at least 18 months before the event.
(6) Budget of the new event
For an international convention participated in by international delegates, the expenses are as detailed in the table below.
(7) Statistics
The occupancy levels across Cebu for the past five years attest to the stability of the tourism industry. The following table provides the details. The estimated average length of stay was “ 4.8 days for resorts and 2.9 days for city hotels” (Garcia-Yap, 2012).
South-east Asia, the region to which the Philippines belong to, topped the annual percentage growth in annual percentage growth with a 9.9 % increase. This translates to 8 million additional arrivals in the previous year or a “total international inbound of almost 89 million arrivals” (TTG Asia, 2013). Figure 1 present the details.
Partial list of Hotels in Cebu City
References
Cebu Daily News, (2013, June 23) “Cebu tourism industry ‘to reach new heights with Apec Meeting, 2016 Int’l Eucharistic Conference.” Cebu Daily News. Retrieved from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/431405/cebu-tourism-industry-to-reach-new-heights-with-apec-meeting-2016-intl-eucharistic-conference.
Garcia-Yap, A. (2012, December 31). “Korean, flights, rooms help make tourism soar in 2012.” Retrieved from http://www.tourismcongress.org/sectornews/121231.php.
Hudman, L.E. & Jackson, R.H. (2003). Geography of Travel and Tourism, 4th edition. New York: Delmar Learning.
Planet Action Adventure. (n.d). Airline Listing Cebu-Mactan International Airport. Retrieved from http://www.action-philippines.com/airlines.htm/
Shangri-la’s Mactan Resort & Spa, Cebu. (nd). Facts and Information. Retrieved from http://www.shangri-la.com/uploadedFiles/Shangri-La_Resorts/Shangri-La%E2%80%99s_Mactan_and_Spa,_Cebu,_Philippines/mac_factsheet_en.pdf.
TTG Asia. (2013, March 12). Asia-Pacific breaks tourism record in 2012. TTG Asia. Retrieved from http://www.ttgasia.com/article.php?article_id=20613.
