The Visit Cebu campaign anchors the tripartite memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the DOT, Cebu Pacific, and the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC), which has more than120 member establishments.
Natural disasters weigh on Cebu tourism sector
The MOU described the campaign as a “strategic initiative designed to revitalize inbound tourism and accelerate the Tourism Recovery Plan for Cebu following recent calamities that caused a decline in tourist arrivals, and flight cancellations.”
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Cebu on Sept. 30, damaging old churches, buildings, key infrastructure, and ports in the northern part of the province.
Barely a month later, Cebu was hit by another calamity. Typhoon Tino unleashed heavy rains on Nov. 4, triggering widespread flooding across Metro Cebu that disrupted business operations and damaged homes and critical infrastructure.
Campaign focuses on priority international markets
The partnership includes incentives, marketing, promotions and programs to attract tourists from six priority international markets –Korea, Japan, Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong, which all have direct flights to Cebu.
The joint marketing campaign will integrate exclusive flight incentives with special and resort promotions “to reposition Cebu as a premier destination for leisure and dive tourism in Asia.”
In a statement posted on her Facebook page last Dec. 12, Tourism Secretary Ma. Christina Garcia -Frasco, said the campaign provides flight incentives, hotel promotions, and DOT-secured hotel vouchers that offer tourists a complimentary one-night stay in addition to their bookings.
This direct support from the DOT encourages longer visits, greater spending, and more livelihood opportunities in the tourism industry that has been one of the main economic drivers for Cebu.
“This initiative uplifts our tourism stakeholders, from our hotels, resorts, restaurants, tour operators, travel agencies, transport groups, MSMEs through strategic business to business opportunities, and most especially our resilient tourism frontliners,” Frasco said.
MOU details funding, roles, and commitments
Based on the six-page MOU, the DOT would allocate an initial amount of P14 million to implement destination marketing, tourism promotions and programming such as the “Fly and Stay Cebu” promotion, familiarization trips for trade and media, and digital marketing initiatives.
These initiatives include joint digital marketing to promote Cebu in the six identified priority countries in partnership with Cebu Pacific; and post Business-to-Business meetings’ familiarization trips to two popular diving sites- Malapascua Island and Moalboal town.
Cebu Pacific, on the other hand, would provide support to the familiarization trips to the Philippines, especially Cebu for key tourism stakeholders, travel agents and foreign media from northeast Asia.
The HRRAC would create and manage campaign landing page, develop creatives, and coordinate the participation of member-hotels and resorts
The HRRAC would also facilitate partnership with member-establishments to support the execution of the Visit Cebu campaign and other related marketing initiatives.
Both the DOT and Cebu Pacific would jointly implement marketing and promotional activities for Cebu’s tourism recovery, subject to mutual agreement and available resources.
Anti-corruption clause built into agreement
The MOU would run for a year from the time the agreement was signed on Dec. 12, 2025 .
Interestingly, the MOU has a “non-graft and corruption” clause.
The provision stipulates that all parties must comply with all applicable anti-corruption laws.
“Each party hereby undertakes that its officers, employees, personnel or agents have not offered or promised to give money or any consideration, solicited or accepted any undue pecuniary or other advantages of any kind, nor implied that they will or might engage in such conduct at any time in the future, in any way connected with this MOU,” the provision read.
Each party was also compelled to take measures to prevent agents and other third parties under its control from doing so. Failing to do so would be ground for terminating the MOU.
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