The Department of Tourism (DOT) assured international travel partners that Cebu remains open for tourism despite the recent spate of natural disasters including the widespread flooding from Typhoon Tino and a magnitude 6.9 earthquake off the coast of Bogo City.
DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said core tourism zones and gateways are fully operational, with impacts largely limited to select northern municipalities low-lying barangays and parts of the Camotes Islands.
High-traffic areas such as Cebu City’s business districts and the main resort corridors on Mactan Island continue to operate normally, the DOT said.
Frasco encouraged travel partners to proceed with planned visits and inaugural flights.
“Cebu’s spirit of hospitality remains steadfast. We welcome our guests as we continue coordinated recovery in localized areas. Your continued visits sustain jobs restore livelihoods and help communities get back on their feet. Together with our partners, we will keep Cebu ready and open for the world,” she said.
The DOT is assisting groups that opted to defer travel with rebooking and itinerary adjustments.
It said to reinforce Cebu’s position as a premier international gateway, it is sustaining its market development and global connectivity programs.
Joint promotional campaigns with airlines have expanded Cebu’s reach in key markets, and familiarization trips roadshows and participation in major global tourism fairs are proceeding as scheduled.
New and returning routes for the fourth quarter include Firefly (Kuala Lumpur–Cebu) on Dec. 2; Jetstar (Perth–Manila) on Nov. 27; Jetstar (Brisbane–Cebu) on De. 3; Vietnam Airlines (Hanoi-Cebu) on Dec. 2; VietJet (Ho Chi Minh-Manila) on Nov. 22; AirAsia (Cebu–Kuala Lumpur) and (Cebu–Macau) on Nov. 15; and Philippine Airlines (Cebu–Guam) on Dec. 16.
The DOT reported that temporary site closures and flight cancellations following Typhoon Tino affected about 1,400 tourism workers, with assistance and recovery support now underway.
