‘Creative City’ tag to draw tourists, investors to Cebu

CEBU, Philippines —  Aside from the anticipated tourist influx following the designation of Cebu as a UNESCO “Creative City,”, the province is likewise seen to draw strong interest from global investors especially in real estate.

“We see more residential buyers and tourists being enticed by the recognition. This should further propel Cebu’s residential and leisure segments moving forward,” noted

Joey Roi Bondoc, senior research manager at Colliers International Philippines.

According to Bondoc the citation should enable Cebu to attract more foreign and local tourists.

“It only solidifies Cebu’s stature as a key tourist spot in the country. But what’s more important is the drive to make cities safe, resilient, inclusive and sustainable,” he added.

Significantly, the Unesco recognition should benefit the property sector in general.

“Developers should also be mindful of this citation. They should maximize it when building and promoting projects,” he added.

Cebu City joined 66 cities designated as UNESCO Creative Cities by the Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay.

Cebu City is now officially part of the UNESCO Creative Cities International Network under the design category.               

As explained in the UNESCO website (https://en.unesco.org), the UNESCO Creative Cities are laboratories of ideas and innovative practices that bring a tangible contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through innovative thinking and action.

Through their commitment, Creative cities from all continents and regions with different income levels and populations are championing sustainable development actions that directly benefit communities at urban level.

“All over the world, these cities, each in its way, make culture the pillar, not an accessory, of their strategy,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.

“This favors political and social innovation and is particularly important for the young generations.”

With 66 new creative cities this year, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network now counts to a total of 246 cities all over the world.