(PNA Bacolod file photo)
BACOLOD CITY – The province of Negros Occidental logged 510,022 tourist arrivals in 2022, higher than the target of only 350,000 for the whole year, data from the Provincial Tourism Division on Thursday showed.
The figures also showed more than 60 percent increase compared to the tourist arrivals in 2021.
Cheryl Decena, provincial tourism officer, said the data indicate that the province exceeded the target set by the Department of Tourism.
“The challenge now is for 2023, because we cannot go lower than the figures we had in 2022. Our target is not lower than 600,000 overnight tourists,” she told reporters.
Decena said the figures mainly reflect the number of overnight tourists, where the computation of tourist receipts is based.
“The more they spend for overnight accommodations, the more they get to support local business enterprises,” she added.
Of the total number of whole-year tourist arrivals, about 8 to 10 percent are foreign tourists.
Among the top tourist destinations in Negros Occidental are coastal areas, where beach resorts are located, along with farm tourism and cultural heritage sites, Decena said.
As of May 31 this year, 115,248 overnight tourists have been recorded, as shown in the partial data for the first four months.
“We’re still confident (to reach the target). If we just count the first three months, we’re still on track,” Decena added. (PNA)
