- 1 week ago
Cebu’s tourism industry continues to evolve, but are the latest numbers telling a story of strong growth—or are there challenges beneath the surface?
In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, we sit down with Mia Singson-Leon to examine the state of Cebu tourism, from hotel rooms and occupancy to tourist arrivals and the demand for accommodation.
We look beyond the headline figures to understand what is driving Cebu’s tourism sector, where the gaps remain, and what the industry needs to sustain its momentum in the years ahead.
How healthy is Cebu tourism today? Let’s look at the numbers and the bigger picture.
🎙️ Beyond the Headlines — Look Deeper. Think Deeper.
In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, we sit down with Mia Singson-Leon to examine the state of Cebu tourism, from hotel rooms and occupancy to tourist arrivals and the demand for accommodation.
We look beyond the headline figures to understand what is driving Cebu’s tourism sector, where the gaps remain, and what the industry needs to sustain its momentum in the years ahead.
How healthy is Cebu tourism today? Let’s look at the numbers and the bigger picture.
🎙️ Beyond the Headlines — Look Deeper. Think Deeper.
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NewsTranscript
01:31Your perfect latte is ready.
01:34Coffee first, then everything else.
01:37Good afternoon and welcome to Beyond the Headlines.
01:41I'm DJ Moises and today's conversation is brought to us by Coffee First.
01:45Today, we go beyond the arrival numbers and look at what is really happening on the ground.
01:52From hotel occupancy to tourist spending to air connectivity, infrastructure, workforce, and the future of Cebu as a tourism destination.
02:02Let's look deeper and think better.
02:04Joining us is Mia Singson-Leon, president of the Hotels and Resorts Association of Cebu.
02:12So, hi, Mia. Welcome to Beyond the Headlines.
02:13Hi, DJ. Thank you so much for having me.
02:16And thank you for making time for this, even if it's a holiday.
02:18Yes, of course.
02:20Sige. So, let's start with this pageant-ish question.
02:25If you are to describe the current state of tourism in Cebu in just one word, what would that be?
02:33It would still have to be resilient, DJ.
02:37Resilient because we saw really good numbers.
02:39We saw good arrivals during the first half.
02:43And then we got shocked with the fuel crisis and the Middle East war.
02:49But even with that, we were able to somehow cushion the blow so that we're still here.
02:56We're still standing.
02:57We're still selling our rooms and our experiences.
03:00And we're still looking forward to better days ahead.
03:03And speaking of better numbers, so this is the better time also for you to clarify, no?
03:10Certain reports that have been released by different sources, no?
03:14Because one report actually would say that international arrivals to Cebu increased by 6% in the first quarter.
03:22Then another report also issued this time's overall tourist arrival in Cebu dropped by 10% on the first half.
03:32So, which number should we be seeing or paying more attention?
03:36Yes, for sure.
03:37A lot of people did ask me that.
03:39And even people from the industry were getting confused.
03:42But that's the hospitality or that's the tourism industry.
03:46You cannot read one number and the other number and just blend it together.
03:50So, the first number where it says there was an increase in arrivals, of course, that was for quarter one
03:57where we had the long haul market, the international tourists slightly recovered from previous years.
04:07We had a lot of new international flights coming in.
04:10Then you had the ASEAN in January and then the ASEAN in May as well.
04:14We had a lot of, it was a beautiful time.
04:18And for the first time in a long time, we saw different nationalities in the lobby, Japanese, Koreans, Australians, Indians,
04:25Chinese, the whole smorgasbord.
04:28And it was nice.
04:30And then the second number is really more towards after the crisis, the fuel crisis, where that is mostly comprised
04:39of domestic travel, which is more sensitive to the airfare volatility.
04:45So, Cebu is really still a domestic driven destination.
04:51So, of course, when that drops, you really feel it.
04:53The whole island feels it.
04:55So, when the airport reports that there's a drop in domestic arrivals, especially maybe around April, May, then everyone knows
05:08that it's, everyone feels the pressure of the occupancy.
05:11So, now it dawned on me because the other number, the first number was quarter one.
05:17And then the second number is the first half.
05:20Yes.
05:20So, that means the struggle was in quarter two, no?
05:23Yes.
05:24Yes.
05:25That when the fuel crisis hit, we saw a lot less corporate travel.
05:32We saw a lot less MICE events.
05:35A lot were canceled.
05:36Especially, and even FIT, domestic FITs, people coming from Manila or elsewhere in the country, as the price to come
05:44to Cebu doubled or tripled.
05:48And then the other piece also, which I hope you can educate me and some of our viewers who are
05:55not well aware, because I often hear that while the arrivals in Cebu and the Philippines in general, in terms
06:05of volume, it's lower compared to other countries.
06:08But in terms of spending, the quality of tourists that we have in Cebu and the Philippines tend to spend
06:15more.
06:15Is that true or false?
06:18Yes.
06:18Yes and no.
06:20Again, I cannot give you a straight answer because markets are different.
06:25In general, I think our average rate in the island has been maintained over the years.
06:31In fact, it has increased significantly since prior to the pandemic.
06:35That's because our costs have also gone up.
06:38So, we have to still protect our margins somehow.
06:42But since volume is down, occupancy is nowhere near 2019-2018 level.
06:50So, in the end, the spend per room, although average rate is high, the spend per available room becomes less.
07:00And it also depends on different markets.
07:03If you go to mid-scale to economy hotels, people tend to skip out on spa services, on other ancillary
07:14benefits, or sorry, facilities.
07:16But for five-star resorts, the luxury market, they're not very sensitive to the increase of the volatility in our
07:29prices.
07:30So, they are still spending there.
07:32Plus, additional, since there's a lot of additional hotels, hotel rooms, and also products being served here in Cebu.
07:41So, of course, the spend will also increase.
07:43So, in short, yes, it looks like it increased because we have been able to maintain our average rates over
07:50the years, even with all the issues that we've had.
07:53But because of occupancy drop, then if you look at a number that says revenue per available room, it has
08:02significant, it has dropped.
08:04Oh, okay.
08:06So, it's just not, hospitality can't be measured in just one number.
08:10There are so many, and you have to see the whole picture.
08:13Yeah, because there was a time in which I was led to believe, and now I get the chance to
08:19confirm it with you, that the Philippines or Cebu as a market is not really quantity as of this time,
08:27but quality of tourists.
08:29Because we tend to attract the higher end, not necessarily the backpackers.
08:36Although there are certain destinations in the Philippines that are also catering to backpackers, but in general, the profile of
08:43tourists.
08:44Especially here in Cebu.
08:45Oh, are not the backpackers, but the higher spending ones.
08:49Correct, because we have a McTan that has a lot of the luxury properties, and then the corporate and the
08:57mice-driven properties in the city.
09:01So, there's really not much space.
09:04It's not much space, but backpackers don't find it.
09:10Yeah, because even our resorts tend to be five stars.
09:13On the higher end, yeah.
09:14But we do see them in the city on certain seasons of the year, and they also love going to
09:23the province for adventure tours.
09:25Oh, yeah.
09:26And that's a very welcome sight.
09:28So, when the whole country or the whole world experience the effects of the Middle East tension,
09:39how are the hotels also in general or the resorts in general in Cebu are also managing the stress?
09:50Yes.
09:51We are really feeling the pressure on our costs, fuel, utilities, and our market, our food costs.
10:03So, that is where we are feeling the crunch.
10:06And we cannot increase prices that aligns with our increase in cost, because Cebu is very sensitive to price increases.
10:17As you mentioned, everyone is already saying that Cebu is quite expensive as compared to other destinations.
10:23But we always say that because we offer the value.
10:27We offer value with your booking.
10:30But since, yes, that's the fact, we can't really just increase prices so that we protect margins.
10:36So, that's why we absorb the costs.
10:40I know we cannot absorb it for long, but we will see what happens.
10:44And with respect to the international market, correct me if I'm wrong also, but I'm just judging this by virtue
10:55of observation.
10:56Yes.
10:57There was a time in which much of the tourist international arrivals are from countries like China and Korea.
11:06Are you seeing also emerging international markets that are also exploring Cebu more and more?
11:17Well, for us now, I'm sure you've heard that Korean arrivals have dropped.
11:23But although they have dropped, they are still our number one market.
11:28And from time to time, we see increases in their arrivals depending on the flight availability.
11:35So, we still have them.
11:36We still have the Japanese market, which is always very stable.
11:40For China, it's starting to grow back, but we lost them during the pandemic because there's a lot less flights
11:52coming in directly from China.
11:54But that's something we are working on, especially with the visa-free arrival into Cebu and only Cebu and Manila.
12:02For other markets, of course, we have visa-free entry for Indian market, but we don't have direct flights yet.
12:11So, that's something that our colleagues in the airport and other airlines are working on as well.
12:17We also have an increase in Australians and the U.S. market as well as the European market.
12:25It varies across the industry.
12:28So, you have ESL, which brings in a few other markets that you normally don't see for leisure or corporate
12:36as well.
12:36So, it's a good mix.
12:39We are not putting our eggs in one or two baskets.
12:42But we just really need to focus on the ones that have the potential to bring in the numbers and
12:50move the needle for our arrivals.
12:51Now, correct me if I'm wrong again, but I've read in one of the reports that for as far as
13:00the Philippines is concerned, in terms of international market, Cebu is number one, no?
13:09For international travelers?
13:12I think it would still be Manila.
13:14Ah, it's still Manila.
13:15Okay.
13:15Oh, you have the connectivity there.
13:19So, yes, by that answer alone, yes, I'm convinced that I read the wrong report.
13:24Though the other one, I hope I read the correct report.
13:28But for domestic tourists, Cebu is second to Calabarzon.
13:33Yes.
13:33So, what's with Cebu that makes it attractive because at least it's second and how can we also leverage more
13:43on the domestic market or is that even a direction we want to focus?
13:49Of course, we have depended on the domestic market for the longest time.
13:57If I remember, I think the figure is 60% domestic, 40% international for Cebu.
14:06It is because, again, of connectivity, we have a lot of domestic flights coming into Cebu, and I hope that
14:13continues to increase coming from destinations that will be able to bring us more tourists or corporate bookings as well.
14:22And then, of course, it's a beach, it's a summer, all-year-round summer destination.
14:27We have a lot of things to offer.
14:29We have the beach, we have mice venues, we have highlands, we are able to deliver a lot of products
14:39for our tourists as well as corporate bookings.
14:43That's why not?
14:45Shouldn't we be number one?
14:46Correct.
14:47Now, the other piece also, and maybe you may or may not have the number, but your observation is also
14:54acceptable.
14:55Okay.
14:56What about the, because this is one area that's not commonly reported because we get to see the arrivals, we
15:02get to see the hotel occupancy, but not many information, at least for the general public, where I'm part of,
15:11about the length of a stay.
15:14Okay. So, yeah. So, how long, or at least from your observation, how long does an international tourist generally stay
15:21in locations like Cebu?
15:23Okay. If we generalize all stays, the average is two to three. For international, it also depends.
15:33So, you have long-haul tourists. They tend to stay a bit longer.
15:39Or forever, no?
15:40Yes. Because Cebu is actually known for, how do I say, silver guests, those that want to retire.
15:51Ah, okay.
15:52So, the Visayas, I think, is very popular for that, Cebu in particular, because we have a lot of real
15:57estate that they go to.
15:59So, yes. On average, it's two to three.
16:03So, in terms of, because you've mentioned that tourism should be looked at according to different numbers.
16:12Yes.
16:12So, what would you suggest, you know, how the, I mean, tourism in the Philippines or Cebu should be measured?
16:22So that, at least kami sa public, we get to be choosy na put about, ah, okay, I can let
16:28this number go.
16:28Or, oh, this one, I should be paying more attention.
16:31Okay.
16:31I think you should still look at occupancy rates as well as arrival rates and try to make sense of
16:40the numbers together.
16:42I don't think you should specifically look at one or two particular numbers because it depends on what you want
16:49to know.
16:49So, occupancy rates will tell you the volume of what, the volume that's coming into Cebu.
16:57And, you know, when there's volume, then there's heavy numbers there.
17:01But, yes, you should also look at the average rates and the number of hotel rooms being opened or being
17:09made available.
17:10The more hotel rooms that a destination has, the better chances of it being able to attract large mice events
17:21or a large market.
17:24And, of course, the price will be, there's more competition.
17:27So, the better for tourists.
17:29I don't want to put you on the spot, but I just remembered.
17:33Oh, you've been putting me on the spot for quite a while.
17:36Because there was, but you're the expert, no?
17:40No, not really.
17:41There are comments that I would hear, at least within my circle, and they're not from the industry.
17:49But they also claim that they know the industry.
17:52And I keep on overhearing them saying that if only the Philippines will have more rooms, then tourists would come.
18:04And I overheard somebody who was also in the industry actually said, actually, it's chicken and egg.
18:10We have issues with our occupancy, and then you're telling us to build more rooms?
18:16What do you mean?
18:18You've heard about that?
18:19Yes, for sure.
18:19Even I have the same sentiments from time to time.
18:23And I keep saying, oh, why are there more rooms building when our occupancy is struggling right now?
18:28But then I also understand that the more rooms a destination has, they will come, as they say.
18:34But I think it has to go together with the connectivity.
18:39If you have a lot of flights coming into the city, then your rooms will fill up.
18:46It cannot be just rooms increasing, or it cannot even just be more flights coming in, because where will they
18:54stay?
18:55Correct.
18:55It has to go both ways.
18:57That's a good point.
18:59Okay, now let's talk about MICE.
19:01Yes.
19:02That's one of the more exciting and dynamic parts of tourism priorities in the Philippines and even in Cebu.
19:12So tell us more about it.
19:14Well, MICE is something that everyone is excited about, as you say, because for the longest time, Cebu had no
19:23MICE venues.
19:24And now, with three large venues, we are happy to say we are able to compete and we are able
19:33to make our bids for large international MICE events.
19:36Now, why is MICE important?
19:38Because MICE has a bevy of economic linkages.
19:42When there are large MICE events, it's not only the hotels or even the venues that prosper.
19:50You have transportation services.
19:54You have tour operators and the tour guides.
19:57You have retail, you have restaurants, local restaurants, and even the suppliers that provide services or products to these restaurants
20:09and hotels.
20:10Then, a thousand other MSMEs.
20:13So, if MICE is strong in a certain destination, everyone enjoys it.
20:19Everyone prospers.
20:20But, on the other side, of course, I think we discussed this during the summit, when MICE becomes too prosperous,
20:29sometimes we need to put in place rules to make sure we protect the destination from over-usage or over
20:42-carrying of arrival.
20:45So, that's something that we are preparing for and we will cross the bridge when we get there.
20:52But, for now, the excitement really is being able to bring them and get them to come to Cebu.
20:59And, in the same summit that you mentioned and you were one of the speakers, it was also suggested to
21:09add S in the MICE.
21:12Where are we? And, by the way, S is sports. Where are we with that? At least.
21:16But, this is just a few months after. Just excited.
21:19There are a lot of sports events coming up in 2027 and 2028.
21:24We just recently concluded the Ironman in Maktan.
21:28But, that has been with us for many years now.
21:32And, then, you know, here in Cebu, there are so many marathon enthusiasts.
21:37So, we have a lot of marathons here in Cebu that attract international tourists as well.
21:43For next year, there will be, there are volleyball tournaments.
21:49Then, you have the ASEAN Beach Games coming up in 2028.
21:52There are so many.
21:53And, the opportunities are still there.
21:56People are still fighting to make their bids.
21:58So, we can really include, or at least in our minds, the S in MICE.
22:03And, this one also is where the excitement and now the curiosity, not the question,
22:12the curiosity in the part of the public about the ASEAN Tourism Forum.
22:19Okay.
22:20In January.
22:21In January.
22:22So, obviously, that also helped in terms of improving the tourism arrivals
22:28because of the number of guests that we had.
22:30But, can you also tell us more about what are the effects that you are seeing?
22:36I know it's also just a few months after that forum.
22:43After the January and especially the May activities of the ASEAN,
22:51people started to hear or know about Cebu again.
22:55Again.
22:56So, we made noise.
22:58And, after those activities, we've had a lot of inquiries for larger MICE events as well.
23:03Because, of course, they know and many of them have seen.
23:06Because, those that came over were all from the tourism industry.
23:11So, there's more and more interest to come here and hold their large MICE events here,
23:16whether corporate or government events.
23:18So, that is the positive side of it.
23:22Unfortunately, with the shock of the fuel crisis that has died down a little bit,
23:27but we are all very optimistic that they will be coming for next year.
23:35Many of my hotel friends have already said,
23:38Oh, we are looking good for next year.
23:40We have big groups coming in.
23:43Although, yes, the price is still very sensitive given that it is still very costly.
23:48We don't see the prices dropping down too much in 2027 for airfare.
23:54So, we are still very, we still feel the pressure of our ADR.
24:00But, no, it doesn't look too bad.
24:05Perhaps a flat growth.
24:08At least.
24:09At least.
24:10But, with all the activities, all the initiatives we're doing, it can only go up.
24:16But, then again, there are a lot of things we still cannot control.
24:19Over the years, with all the problems that we have year after year,
24:23I think, especially here in Cebu, we've learned how to deal with the punches.
24:27And, we've learned that, okay, this will die down.
24:32We just need to do this, this, and this.
24:34And, hope for the best.
24:36So, now let's talk about the food part of tourism.
24:41Or, is that food tourism?
24:42Food dining?
24:43Yes.
24:45As a destination.
24:46Because, again, I'm untrained.
24:49But, Thailand is also known for food.
24:53Yes.
24:54And, I think I've also heard a lot of people going to Taiwan because also of the food food.
25:00And, even to a certain extent, even Singapore or even KL.
25:03So, can you also comment about, okay, Cebu na lang.
25:06Okay.
25:07As a food destination.
25:08Well, I think Cebu, or Philippine cuisine has really improved in popularity over the years.
25:16You know, starting with Michelin restaurants abroad that offer Filipino cuisine.
25:23So, I think that started the whole trend.
25:25And, then, more and more Filipinos abroad are serving local Filipino food.
25:29So, I noticed, maybe since three, four years ago, that when tourists come, especially from the U.S. or Europe,
25:36they already know some of the dishes and they even look for them.
25:39So, hotels and restaurants started really offering Filipino food.
25:45Even in luxury resorts, you will see a very strong menu of Filipino favorites, which was not so much so
25:56in the past.
25:58There's really, especially here in Cebu, there is so much pride in our food.
26:01We really take it personally, lechon and everything else.
26:06So, for me, Filipino food is, again, gaining popularity and becoming more mainstream.
26:15Hopefully, we can compete, really, with the cuisine of, yes, as you mentioned, Thailand, Singapore, because we have so much
26:27to offer.
26:27And, with international chefs also learning our cuisine and doing their twists on it,
26:35it also helps to increase our popularity, especially with the Michelin restaurants we have now,
26:42with the advent of Michelin here, that really gives a big boost to our dining environment here in Cebu.
26:50So, if you will have a wish list, or…
26:54I have a lot of wish lists.
26:56Areas to improve.
27:00To improve Cebu's tourism ecosystem, what would this be?
27:07There's still so much to improve.
27:11Of course, our infrastructure, traffic is a big issue still,
27:17although traffic is everywhere, but, you know, for a tourist who wants to go from one place to the other,
27:24especially that our tourist areas are quite far apart,
27:29the traffic really hits you because you're spending three, four hours on the road
27:34if you want to go to the provinces and back.
27:35So, that's one, if that can be further improved,
27:40as well as ease for people to come with our visa rules.
27:47If it were easier and they feel more that we are really welcoming them in,
27:53that would be a good thing as well.
27:55But that's not really a DOT.
27:59We don't have our hands on that.
28:03Also, perhaps, costs to operate.
28:08If we are able to manage, if the government is able to help us with the cost for utilities,
28:16fuel, with the inflation, then we will be able to provide more rates that, you know,
28:23they don't, they always compare us to other destinations.
28:27So, we want to be able to compete with those rates.
28:30But for now, it's difficult for us without really decimating our margins.
28:36So, that's another thing.
28:38And then, of course, and, you know, I told you I have a lot of wish lists.
28:41Okay, continue, continue.
28:42And, of course, our linkages, our flights.
28:47The more flights we have into Cebu, the better for us.
28:50And you've mentioned about infrastructure and traffic.
28:54And now I can confess that that's where I was coming from when I asked you about the number of
29:01days that they stay.
29:02Because in my view, a disclaimer, in my view, if infrastructure and traffic will not improve soon,
29:12So, that would either curtail the number of places that they could have seen because it would take them a
29:23day to move from one area to the other.
29:27Or they will, largely, they will miss the opportunity of actually for other locations also to leverage on the arrival
29:35or a particular arrival.
29:37Yes, you will have to depend on them coming back, which is a good thing.
29:41But, of course, a lot of travelers want to cram in and maximize a lot of activities or see a
29:48lot of sites during their first visit.
29:51But that's why it's a very big wish list for all of us for infrastructure to get better so that
29:58we can have less traffic on the roads on a daily basis.
30:03Daily basis.
30:04Not just during holidays.
30:07But, you know, they also say the more traffic, it signifies that there is progress and there's a lot more
30:14visitors.
30:17Sorry.
30:20Now let's talk about service.
30:23Because the Philippines, for a very long time, has been known for our hospitality trait or our strength in hospitality.
30:32Is still that a differentiator globally as of this time?
30:39I would say so because still, the Philippines, of course, we speak very good English.
30:45And a lot of our hoteliers here have worked abroad.
30:50And they come home with wonderful skills.
30:53And really, hospitality is innate to us.
30:56Even if you are not, for Cebuanos at least, even if you are not really from hospitality, you have this
31:02innate need to show people around, to make them eat lechon or to show them the beach.
31:10And we are so proud of our island.
31:13So I think that is already a big up for us.
31:17But I would also have to say other destinations in terms of service and even English have worked hard over
31:25the years and have very much caught up.
31:28So that's why I always say we cannot depend on just our innate warm smiles and hospitality, our nature.
31:38We have to continue to work hard at improving our skills, upskilling, and becoming more professional in our ability to
31:45serve in hotels as well as in dining and other destinations.
31:50You kept on using the word innate, and I'm just reminded, maybe it's because it's summer every day in the
31:58Philippines.
31:59True.
31:59So it's innate.
32:00They always say innate.
32:02Oh, no, I didn't get that for me a while.
32:05No, it's a bad joke, I know.
32:08It took me 10 seconds to get what you were like innate.
32:14But actually, over the years, a lot of international tourists, especially those coming from cold climates, they always say, because
32:23it's innate here, that's why we are more happy.
32:28And there's always a smile on our faces, even though things are not as dandy as we wish they would
32:35be.
32:35And last, it started as a joke, but I think that that's also a good point, because I will not
32:42name the city in the world.
32:44But if people would ask me my impression about the city, I would always say it looks sad.
32:49But it's because that city also is a rainy city.
32:53Yes, gloomy.
32:54Gloomy.
32:55So that's why they would say, why would you say that the city looks sad?
32:58But yes, I think that's a good point.
33:00Because in summer, for us, it's summer more or less all year round.
33:03So we light clothes and it's hot.
33:07So you're always like this.
33:09The sun is good for us.
33:12So now let's talk about hospitality as a career.
33:15So if we have viewers who are watching and they wish to also be like you, so what would be
33:22your hacks or tips or advice that you can also give them?
33:28You have to treat hospitality like a real profession.
33:32It's not something you do just for the job.
33:35You have to really enjoy it and like it because the hours are long.
33:40And you're expected to be sunny and smiley even when you're not feeling or you're not feeling up to it.
33:49But that alone is difficult for many people.
33:54But if you do really enjoy it, yes, please.
33:57So start your job.
33:59Start your career here.
34:01And then I know I shouldn't say go abroad and travel and experience the world.
34:06But that's what I did.
34:07And that's what most of us did.
34:09And that really helped us in our careers, building our skill and confidence, being able to see services and hotels
34:17all over the world.
34:18But then, of course, please come back and help the Philippines or Cebu become really world class.
34:27So just enjoy it and do your best all the time.
34:32And by the way, there's something about you said that I was reminded also during the summit because and hopefully
34:37for everyday Cebuanos and Filipinos like me, we could also shift the mindset.
34:43Because there was a takeaway there that whenever there's an airline with a direct flight to Cebu, the Filipinos instead
34:54of, oh my gosh, this is more arrivals.
34:56It's like, I can't go there.
34:57So we leave rather than…
34:59It's more outbound.
35:00It's more outbound.
35:01Yes, yes.
35:02There's a lot of destinations.
35:04Like, of course, for us, we want more flights.
35:06And then when there's a flight coming in from a particular destination, oh no, not that one.
35:10Because that's all outbound.
35:11Everyone is going there.
35:13Correct.
35:13So we say that the domestic market is very much price sensitive.
35:18And we don't see them here.
35:20But actually, no, in my feed, everyone is in Vietnam, in China, in Japan, in Taiwan.
35:29So when I go to these destinations for work, the executives there tell me, oh, you know, Filipinos, there's so
35:35many here and they spend so much.
35:39Which reminds me, I also don't want to put you on the spot.
35:42But what about some people making comments, I'm not sure if you've heard about this, that it's cheaper to go
35:48to other destinations compared to traveling within the Philippines.
35:55I'm sorry.
35:57Okay, okay.
35:58Yes and no.
35:59Of course, there are destinations that are more…
36:03They are able to offer more lower prices.
36:06Not just because they want to, it's not that we don't want to, but they have a lot more help
36:12there so that they are able to offer these prices.
36:16There's a lot of incentives coming from the government and a lot of incentives coming from private organizations as well
36:24that allow tour operators or airlines perhaps to offer lower rates.
36:31So it's not just the fact that we want to offer higher prices, of course not.
36:38Sige.
36:38And now, this one is on the space of possibilities, no?
36:43What are the possibilities or opportunities locally or globally which you think Cebu is still not fully leveraging, no?
36:58Well, I would say, I would still say MICE is still a very big potential.
37:05We have been talking about it for maybe for over a year now and how excited we are.
37:11Although we have been discussing this for a while, it hasn't really happened yet because, of course, some of the
37:17venues have not fully opened.
37:19So this is still really for 2027 and going forward, especially for big MICE events where you have to bid
37:27for them three, four, five years in advance.
37:29Okay.
37:30So, of course, the wellness market as well could be very big.
37:36We do have a lot of wellness offers.
37:39We have Tuob, Sugilig, we have Hilot, and those things can be really curated so that guests can actually enjoy
37:49the things that we used to enjoy, ba?
37:53When we were little, you know, with all that Tuob and all that.
37:58I don't know if you experienced that.
38:01Although I heard a lot about that during the pandemic.
38:05But they are wellness offers that we can really offer to international.
38:12And there would be a lot of interested guests for that.
38:16Those are your experiences that are only found in the Philippines or in Cebu.
38:22Yes.
38:23If you present it really in the way that we used to experience it, of course, there are some adjustments.
38:29But if you stay authentic to the experience, it could be very, very interesting because wellness is really, with everything
38:38that we have experienced over the years, wellness has become a very important aspect of leisure travel.
38:46And still, our food culture.
38:51There's still so much to offer.
38:53There's still a lot of things to improve for us in order for our local as well as international guests
39:00to really enjoy Cebu food and Cebu cuisine.
39:02And then, on the reverse, and I can already anticipate that this was already included in your wish list earlier.
39:16But just one thing lang, which you consider as a threat, that we are not paying as much attention to
39:26it as it should have.
39:30Ah, what we are not paying as much attention to it as it should have been.
39:34It's a threat, Giyod.
39:35Now, you would say, this is really a threat, but how come we are not really taking this threat this
39:41seriously?
39:44It would really have to still be the infrastructure.
39:47We are still, as we all know, lagging behind our ASEAN neighbors' internet speed is a big factor as well,
39:59especially for MICE or corporate bookings, international bookings, or even leisure, because everything is done online these days.
40:07So, when guests come, they say, oh, the internet speed is so slow, I cannot make my bookings.
40:12So, those are a few of the things that I think we should continue to focus on so that we
40:21can offer better services going forward.
40:25Technology is increasing everywhere else in the world, and I'm sure also here.
40:30But if we don't have the basic high-speed internet, then how can we do that?
40:36So, at least it's a balanced outlook, because in the Philippines, it's not lagging handy, but in technology and infrastructure,
40:44we're lagging behind.
40:47But you know the skill is here, right?
40:50And the technology is here.
40:52So, now that we've talked about the threats, and then we are also talking about the possibilities plus the current
40:59state, so this is now my last question.
41:01So, if we are to fast forward, it's only short term, five years from now, what would be the indicators
41:11by then that we should be more mindful and say,
41:18oh, we're really going towards the right direction?
41:24Okay.
41:24Five years from now, when we look at things, it's like, oh, we're really headed towards the right direction.
41:30If we have a steady market to really, a variety of markets to enjoy, not just one or two, and
41:42that they are steady all throughout the year.
41:44I think we saw that pre-pandemic in 2018, 2019.
41:50I remember when I came back from Thailand and moved back to Cebu, it's not very seasonal anymore, because in
42:00the past, we were very seasonal, and now we still are seasonal somehow.
42:05And it's supposed to be summer all year round.
42:08Yes, it's supposed to be summer all year round. But when I say more stable, it means like this market
42:13naturally will go up in this time, but will go down in this time.
42:18But when this market goes down, there has to be another market that comes in, whether it be domestic or
42:23international.
42:23So perhaps a more steady availability of tourists or guests from different baskets, as you easily say, and a strong
42:35supply of skilled workers as well, because that could also be a difficult situation for us.
42:45When we have tourists and we have hotels, but we don't have good skilled Filipino workers.
42:52As you know, Filipino workers are very, very popular abroad in cruise lines and other international tourist areas.
43:01So we speak very good English. We work very hard.
43:05We can do the work of two or three other people.
43:08We are resilient.
43:09Yes, we are very resilient.
43:10Yeah, so even if it wasn't a bad day, you will see a Filipino smiling.
43:15So we are very popular there.
43:18So I would, yes, I'm happy for them to go abroad and experience that.
43:24But I'm also hopeful that many of them, while they are strong and skilled, come home and work with us.
43:30That's a good measure.
43:32So that means it's already a lucrative industry to be part of.
43:38Correct.
43:39The confidence of Filipinos coming home, skilled Filipinos coming home to Cebu to work here, will signify that we are
43:49doing something good for the city.
43:52That's a good outlook.
43:54I never look at it that way, but that's a good one.
43:56And the other thing also, before we close that you just said, and the reason why I was smiling, because
44:01in the ITBPM industry, there's a concept.
44:06That's why a lot of the people in the industry are working in the evening because they follow the sun.
44:12But it's more of outbound following the sun.
44:14But when you said something about seasonal, it's also because it's winter in their season and they come to the
44:19Philippines.
44:19So the Philippines is where the sun is.
44:22All year round.
44:23So if the sun is not showing in this part of the world, they should come to the Philippines because
44:29the sun is here.
44:30Correct.
44:31Or Cebu for that matter.
44:32With our sunny personality.
44:33Correct.
44:34So I've got a lot of good takeaways today.
44:37So thank you for making time for this interview.
44:39And hopefully I get to visit you also in Crimson.
44:43Yes, please.
44:44Yes.
44:45So happy Heroes Day to everyone.
44:47Yes.
44:48So thank you for helping us looking beyond the headlines and understanding where Cebu Tourism really stands and where it
44:55will be moving forward.
44:57Because behind every tourist is a business that earns, a worker who gets a job, a community that benefits, and
45:04an economy that moves.
45:06That's why understanding where Cebu Tourism stands matters.
45:12So I'm DJ Moises.
45:13Thanks to Coffee First for supporting conversations such as today.
45:18And have a good weekend.
45:21It's a long weekend.
45:22Have a good weekend, everyone.
45:23Thank you very much, DJ.
45:30It starts with a fresh shot of espresso.
45:34Bold.
45:35Rich.
45:36Pulled just right.
45:40Then comes the milk.
45:42Steamed smooth.
45:43Creamy.
45:44And balanced.
45:45The perfect latte is not brushed.
45:48It is crafted.
45:49One cup at a time.
45:52Your perfect latte is ready.
45:54Coffee first.
45:56Then, everything else.
45:58Oh, yeah.
46:12I'm the only one.
46:17I love you.
46:20I love you too.
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