Hotel rates have dropped following booking and event cancellations — losses amounting to millions of pesos — after the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck northern Cebu on Sept. 30.
The Cebu provincial tourism office is offering incentives to travel agencies that can bring in large tour groups to help boost visitor arrivals.
Tourism officials emphasized that only a few towns in northern Cebu were affected by the earthquake, while the rest of the province — including its major tourism sites — remains open to visitors.
Tourism leaders’ message: Cebu is open for business
“We want people to know that we are open for business. Cebu has a lot to offer (to tourists),” said Cebu Provincial Tourism Officer Rowena Montecillo.
Mia Singson-Leon, president of the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu Inc. (HRRACI) and a representative of Quest Hotel, echoed the same appeal.
“I hope we can focus on the positive and get the message (across) that it has been business as usual for a while now in Cebu and that the tourism and hospitality industry in Cebu is eager to welcome everyone back to our vibrant city and its beautiful natural and heritage sites,” she added.
Bogo City and seven towns in northern Cebu sustained heavy damage when a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck at 9:59 p.m., with its epicenter located in Bogo.
According to initial reports, at least 32 roads and 38 bridges in Bogo, San Remigio, Medellin, Tabuelan, Daanbantayan, Sogod, Borbon, and Tabogon were damaged. Several government buildings, schools, convention centers, churches, and health centers in these areas were also partially damaged or destroyed.
Aftershocks of fear and caution
News of the earthquake and its subsequent aftershocks prompted widespread cancellations of events and hotel bookings across Cebu, dealing a blow to the province’s tourism sector.
“A majority cite fears of continuing earthquakes, possible infrastructure damage in tourist areas, and their own assessment of personal risk — choosing to err on the side of caution rather than risk injury or trauma from aftershocks,” said Singson-Leon.
She said that even though the earthquake affected only a few towns in northern Cebu, hotel occupancy on Mactan Island — known for its beaches and resorts — has dropped to 25 percent to 50 percent, while those in Cebu City are averaging 35 percent to 60 percent.
“These numbers are considered very low for the current season,” she said, adding that the slump might continue until the first quarter of 2026.
Fighting the slump
To fight the slump, Singson-Leon said industry players were trying their best to be both smart and strategic.
“We eliminate non-essential spending, focus on campaigns that speak confidence in our over-all safety and security, and we kick up promotional rates in the hopes of attracting as much of the local market available to us,” she added.
She encouraged travelers seeking rest and recreation in Cebu to take advantage of the discounted rates currently being offered directly by hotels and resorts.
“Give your desired property a call and inquire on current promotions or local resident rates,” said Singson-Leon.
She has one advice though: Be wary of prevailing online scam offering too-good-to-be-true rates like 50 percent off on accommodation.
“Best to call or transact using official pages or websites, and never pay via messenger or other unverified links,” she added.
Paving the rebound
Asked when the tourism slump might end, Singson-Leon replied, “It’s still a waiting game.”
She added that airlines are planning to open more routes to Cebu in the last quarter of 2025, a move expected to help boost arrivals.
With the recent ease of visa requirements for Taiwan, India, and China, she added, they hoped to see a strong rebound for Cebu by the early part of 2026.
To attract more visitors, the Cebu provincial government recently joined the NorthPhil Expo 2025, the biggest and longest-running tourism and consumer fair in Northern Philippines, held in Clark, Pampanga.
Montecillo said they also had sit down meetings with travel agents from the provinces of Pampanga, Batangas and Laguna to discuss their tour packages.
She added they were also providing incentives to travel agents who could bring in a big number of tourists to the province.
The incentive would depend on the number of tourists the agents would be able to bring in.
Contributor
