Tourists flocking back to Bohol

CEBU, Philippines - International tourists are again starting to flock to Bohol despite the fact that most of the travel advisories are still in place.

Cebu Association of Tour Operations Specialists (CATOS) past president Edilberto Mendoza Jr., said Bohol has once again proven its irresistible charm as foreign nationals including those whose countries have alerted their people against traveling to Cebu and Bohol.

"Undoubtedly Bohol is so nice and charming, tourists cannot resist going back there,” said Mendoza.

Besides, he said the strong partnership of Bohol and Cebu cannot be easily affected by any intervention.

"We are helping each other," he added.

Earlier, Bohol Federation of Travel and Tour Operators (BFTTO) attributed the help of travel operators and partners from Cebu who continued to push Bohol to their foreign visitors through day-trip or skip-trip package.

BFTTO president Ma. Lourdes Tuyor-Sultan said that if it were not for the un-distracted push from travel operators from Cebu to promote day-trip to foreign groups like Japanese, Chinese and even Korean, tourism business in Bohol could have severely felt the impact of the travel advisories released by other countries.

Sultan, who owns Travel Village tours and travel company in Bohol, said that while accommodation performance plummeted since the start of security alert against Bohol, day-trip packages sustained the tourism business in the province.

Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, and even European guests coming from Cebu continuously availed of day-trip to Bohol. While Filipinos or the domestic tourists also showed support by pursuing travel plans to Bohol despite the unstable impression of security. (FREEMAN)