Tourist arrivals in Bacolod reach peak

Around 250,134 tourists visited the city in 2006 which significantly marked the peak of tourist arrival in the city.

The number reflects the registered visitors in 53 establishments in the city last year.

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia said that this would translate roughly to a gross income of P767,685,520 for Bacolod ’s tourism industry.

Figures are based on a tourist’s estimated Daily Average Expenditure of P2,995/day for locals and P3,660/day for a foreign tourists and overseas Filipino workers. The P767.6M estimated figure is only for an average one-day stay and could be higher as tourists usually spend 2-3 days in the city.

OFW’s arrival for 2006 is 7,192 posting a 7% increase compared to 5,642 in 2005. Domestic arrivals are also 9.8% higher, from 202,337 in 2005 to 222,268 in 2006.

With more tourism programs and developments in place, Bacolod City should expect higher tourist arrivals this year. The institutionalization of the BACOLAODIAT celebration of the Chinese New Year as an official festival of the city has become an added tourism event to the already internationally famous MassKara Festival held every October.

Tourism-related sports and athletic events are also another factor in the thriving tourism economy of Bacolod and Mayor Leonardia has already pledged more support and assistance to be given to these tourism programs.

Just recently, the city is also host to the first National Arts Fair in celebration of the National Arts Month. Artists and art enthusiasts from all over the country came to the city to showcase their crafts and witness the series of art activities organized by the National Commission on Culture and Arts.

In related developments, the creation of Information Technology Zones in some areas of the city have already attracted four call centers to invest here, making Bacolod the city with the most number of call centers outside Manila and Cebu boosting the local economy as well as the tourism industry. (PIA)