Iloilo City not a top tourist destination
Iloilo City is not one among the 14 top tourist destinations in the country declared by the Department of Tourism (DOT) based on the number of tourist arrivals.
City Tourism Office head Ben Jimena said, it is because the city is not endowed with natural attractions and has no year-round festivals that would attract foreign and local tourists. The city’s top festivals — Dinagyang and Paraw Regatta – happen only on the first quarter of the year.
Jimena said, although Iloilo City has heritages houses, old churches and food to offer its visitors these are not enough to attract tourists. “There are other antique churches and houses in other places which are older than what the city is offering. The reluctance of owners of heritage houses also impedes its tourism promotion,” said Jimena.
Jimena also cited the practice of tourism operators as a ground for the city’s non-inclusion in the top tourist destinations. Local tourism operators here focus their business in outbound tourism rather than inbound tourism. They are more inclined to accommodate clients who prefer to visit tourism sites and festivals outside the city, Jimena said.
Outbound tourism is when someone goes out of their own city or country either for holidays, leisure or business trips. Inbound tourism is when someone who is a non-resident comes to a certain city or country.
It is easier for the tourist travel operators to look for clients who want to go out of the city rather than bringing in tourists to Iloilo City. They have a sure market in the outbound tourism, said Jimena.
Jimena also cited the Perimeter Boundary Ordinance (PBO) of the city which banned the entry of buses in the city’s old Commercial Business District (CBD) also affected the tourism industry. The CBD is one place which the city needs to showcase as its prominence could be traced during the Spanish period.
It takes full cooperation from among the tourism stakeholders in coming up with a better package for prospective market. Iloilo City along with Iloilo province and the island province of Guimaras should work for one tourism plan which are going to benefit the local government units, stressed Jimena.
