CEBU CITY–Korea continues to be the top tourism market for Central Visayas in 2019 with over 1.579 million tourists visiting the island or an increase of 17.49 percent over the 1.344 million in 2018.The next six spots were occupied by Japan ; United States ; Taiwan ; Australia ; United Kingdom ; and Germany .
Shalimar Tamano, regional director of the Department of Tourism in Central Visayas, noted that the growth in foreign tourists was achieved although Boracay had already been opened to tourists. Meanwhile, Tamano said domestic arrivals in 2019 also grew to more than 5.118 million, from over 4.465 million in 2018.
Bohol posted 17 percent share in both domestic and foreign tourists while Negros Oriental’s share in domestic and foreign tourists reached 18 percent and two percent, respectively.Tamano also disclosed that tourism receipts or earnings reached P97 billion based on the P1,200 average spending for domestic tourists and P6,597 spent daily by foreign travelers.Tamano also credited the increase in the number of international flights last year for the growth in tourist arrivals.