Cebu Province Pivots Tourism Strategy to Attract Global Travel Buyers
In a strategic move to enhance its international tourism standing, Cebu Province is shifting its focus away from hosting large crowds of tourists. Instead, it is now concentrating on drawing international travel buyers, agencies, and tour operators—key decision-makers who determine which destinations are marketed worldwide—by bringing them directly to Cebu's tourism sites.
New Approach Emphasizes Business-to-Business Engagements
Cebu Province Administrator Joseph Felix "Ace" Durano, in a media interview on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, explained that this change in strategy aims to strengthen Cebu's position in the international tourism market. The province is targeting business-to-business (B2B) interactions rather than relying solely on one-time tourist visits.
Durano highlighted the province's participation in Travex, the travel exchange component of the ASEAN Tourism Forum. During this event, Cebu set up its own booth and conducted over 120 meetings with international travel buyers, tour operators, and agencies interested in selling tourism packages to Cebu in their respective countries.
"These are direct buyers. These are international tour operators and travel agencies. That's really how business is done," Durano stated, revealing that most of the interested parties came from Spain, Portugal, and Poland.
European Markets Show Strong Interest in Cebu's Offerings
According to Durano, travel buyers from these European markets demonstrated significant interest in Cebu, particularly in nature-based tourism offerings such as beaches. He added that Cebu Tourism Director Rowena Uy expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of the province's participation in Travex, especially given the high level of interest from European counterparts.
Durano clarified that the impact of these engagements is not immediate. He explained that international tourism marketing follows a process starting with buyer meetings, followed by familiarization tours or "fam tours." During these tours, travel buyers, tour operators, and travel media visit destinations to personally assess tourism offerings.
"These companies sell destinations to their clients. Part of the process is that the host sponsors them to experience the destination so they can better market it abroad," Durano elaborated.
Funding and Future Plans for Tourism Promotion
The province plans to use tourism funds, including those allocated for the Suroy-Suroy program, to support these efforts. Durano clarified that the program will remain in place as it is legislated through an ordinance. However, Governor Pamela Baricuatro has directed that the funds should be used solely for tourism promotion and not for self-promotion or personal gain.
Under this new approach, the province will bring foreign travel buyers directly to tourism destinations instead of organizing trips centered only on showcasing local government units (LGUs). Durano noted that this method allows buyers and travel media to better understand Cebu's tourism products and market them more effectively in their home countries.
Cebu's Competitive Position and Long-Term Goals
Durano acknowledged that Cebu had previously lagged behind other destinations like Vietnam, which aggressively implemented international tourism marketing in recent years. Nevertheless, he said the province is now catching up by laying the groundwork for future tourist influxes.
"This is a cycle. They're always looking for new destinations," Durano explained, adding that the goal is to attract more tourists starting next year.
Durano mentioned that the provincial tourism office has already lined up year-round B2B engagements with international travel buyers as part of Cebu's ongoing efforts to expand its global tourism reach.
