Baricuatro pushes tourism recovery with education tourism, new ferry route

Local

By Carmel Pedroza

CEBU Gov. Pamela Baricuatro underscored the urgent need to revive Cebu’s struggling tourism industry while welcoming private sector initiatives aimed at boosting economic activity in the province.

Speaking after the formal inauguration of the Oslob Port and the launch of the new Oslob-Larena-Dumaguete ferry route, Baricuatro highlighted education tourism as one of Cebu’s emerging growth opportunities, particularly through English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs that attract foreign students for short-term study stays.

“We are really looking into education tourism, especially ESL programs. Tours lasting from two weeks to one month to learn English here in the province would be very helpful,” she said.

Baricuatro also expressed optimism that the newly established “tourism triangle” linking Cebu, Siquijor, and Negros Oriental would help increase visitor arrivals and revitalize the province’s tourism sector.

“Yes, we really need support for our tourism industry because tourism is currently down,” she said.

During the inauguration ceremony in Oslob, the governor said stronger inter-island connectivity would stimulate economic activity and create more opportunities for local communities.

“This is very exciting because new routes like this connect not only people, but also communities and opportunities,” Baricuatro added.

She likewise thanked private entrepreneurs for sustaining operations despite economic challenges and rising fuel costs.

“I am very grateful to entrepreneurs like you who continue to believe in us and make sure that even during this economic and fuel crisis, you continue operating,” she said.

Cebu’s tourism industry in 2026 was already steadily recovering through stronger domestic travel, expanded international routes, and major investments in hospitality and convention infrastructure.

However, it continues to face major challenges and setbacks following the fuel crisis which led to cancellation of some newly opened routes and direct flights late in the first quarter of this year.

Last month, government officials and industry stakeholders expressed optimism that Central Visayas’ tourism industry would rebound through initiatives such as offering discounts of up to 50 percent, alongside bundled workcation and staycation packages aimed at boosting domestic tourism and attracting visitors from nearby Asian markets.

Tourism stakeholders are also refocusing marketing efforts on Asia-Pacific markets such as China, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines while maintaining participation in international travel fairs.

Industry groups are encouraging tourists to stay longer in single destinations to reduce transport costs and improve travel value.

New tourism products, including a proposed gastronomy circuit in northern Cebu, are also being developed to diversify visitor experiences and strengthen the local tourism industry.

Meanwhile, Baricuatro said the provincial government intends to sustain the economic momentum generated by recent ASEAN-related engagements in Cebu.

She cited several ongoing international investment initiatives, including developments involving the Balili Property and foreign firms participating in energy exploration projects in the province.

“We want to keep the momentum after the ASEAN engagements. We had a memorandum of understanding involving the Balili Property with a Malaysian company, as well as an Indonesian firm now working on our oil and gas exploration,” she said.

The governor added that another major opportunity is emerging in Alegria, where a project is expected to contribute to the province’s power generation capacity.(MyTVCebu)