ILOILO CITY -- Tourist arrivals in Iloilo province increased by 23.18 percent in 2017, according to the Provincial Tourism Office (PTO).
Gilbert Marin, provincial tourism officer, said on Monday 310,878 domestic and foreign tourists visited the province in 2017, from 252,323 recorded the previous year.
The data also surpassed the PTO’s 2017 target of hitting 280,000 tourist arrivals.
Marin said tourism activities generated PHP5.6 billion in receipts last year.
He noted the bulk, or 125,371 tourist arrivals last year, came from the fifth district of the province, citing the rich resort destinations in the area as the main contributory factor for tourist traffic.
Marin said there were five additional island resort destinations that opened in the district last year.
“We are really looking forward that we will further surpass our target because there are already a lot of additional resorts in the province especially in the central and northern Iloilo,” he said.
“We are very happy because our tourism officers are now active because we have a mandate from the DOT (Department of Tourism) office that the gathering and submission of data will be monthly, it is no longer quarterly,” he added.
PTO data also indicated the province sustained the increase in its tourists arrivals since 2013 with 117,225 domestic and foreign tourist arrivals; in 2014 with 159, 398 arrivals; in 2015 with 206,204 arrivals; and in 2016 with 252, 323 arrivals.
Despite the increasing trend, Marin said they are relentless in their promotion campaign of tourist destinations, as she assures the sustainability of these destinations.
He noted the ongoing issue in Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan serves as “eye opener” for the province and its other neighboring provinces.
“This is a good lesson for all of us that we should do sustainable practices for our tourism destinations,” he said.
Marin further assured that resort destinations in the province are now being prepared to cater tourists this summer season. (PNA)
