Department of Tourism (DOT) Region VI reported that in 2012 Iloilo City tourist arrivals reflect an all-time high of 526,965 foreign and domestic tourists contributing to P9,687,408,381 to the local economy.
Atty. Helen Catalbas, Regional Director of DOT for Western Visayas said the 2012 tourist arrivals figure represent 30.46% increase over the 2011 arrivals of 403,923 tourists.
The positioning of Iloilo City in the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2011-2016 is primarily as a culture-based destination, education tourism destination, and meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions/events (MICE) destination. It holds vast potential as leisure and entertainment destination and health and wellness destination, according to Catalbas.
As new and exciting tour packages are organized, marketed and sold in cooperation with LGU and private sector, Iloilo City will be a major player towards the realization of 3.1 million Western Visayas tourist arrivals set by DOT Region VI for 2013, Catalbas concluded.
