The Negros Occidental tourism industry earned close to P6 billion in 2022, and is now aiming to exceed last year’s gains, Provincial Tourism Officer Cheryl Decena said Thursday, June 22.
The number of tourists in the province increased by 63.69 percent with 311,577 overnight tourists in 2021 and 510,022 in 2022, she said.
Negros Occidental’s overnight tourists in 2022 exceeded the 350,000 target set by the Department of Tourism, Decena pointed out.
The challenge for 2023 is to hit 600,000 overnight tourists, and not to fall below the 2022 number, she said.
She said they are putting weight on the overnight tourists because that is where they get tourism receipts.
When tourists stay overnight the more they get to spend, which supports local business enterprises and small communities, Decena said.
She said their partial report for 2023 shows that the province had 115,248 overnight tourist as of May 31.
Decena said the figures are partial and they are still hoping to exceed the target 600,000 overnight tourists this year.
She said about 8 to 10 percent of the tourists were foreign, while the majority were domestic tourists.
Coastal tourism destinations are the top ranking visited areas for overnight tourists, she said.
This is followed by growing farm tourism sites, she said.
The culture heritage sites are in Talisay, Silay and Bago cities, she said.
The provincial government-owned Mambukal Resort and Wildlife Sanctuary is also fully open for guests and has been getting bookings from various groups and agencies, she said.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, in his speech at the second quarter meeting of Negros Occidental tourism officers at the Capitol on Thursday, said “We have seen good progress in our tourism activities during the first quarter of the year, including the successful comeback of our Panaad Festival”.
He stressed the need to capitalize on sustainable tourism practices that protect the province’s ecological balance and cultural legacy.
“I urge you to embrace creativity and innovation, leverage the present digitalization, and develop special and distinctive experiences for both local and foreign tourists that will set our province apart from other destinations,” Lacson told the tourism officers.*