Cebu Infra Seen Vital to Success of Asean Tourism Congress

Cebu’s infrastructure and facilities will play a major role to ensure the success of this year’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Congress from June 14 to 15 at the Cebu International Convention Centre (CICC), according to an organizer.

Dr. Nila Espina, chairperson of the Cebu Business Month (CBM) ASEAN Tourism Congress, said improvements in Cebu’s infrastructure and facilities indicate an increased level of awareness among stakeholders to promote tourism.

THE Philippine College for the Advancement in Medicine (PCAM) will hold a lecture on US FDA-approved alternative medical procedures that result in the 70 percent survival rate for stage 4 and terminal cancer patients on June 2, 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Cebu Country Club, Gov. M. Cuenco Ave., Banilad, Cebu City.

The lecturer, Professor Xu Kecheng, MD, is the president of Fuda Cancer Hospital in Guangzhou, China, where the results were obtained.

Xu and his team use Cryosurgery, an alternative to conventional surgery, and photodynamic therapy, which is an alternative to radiation and Immunotherapy instead of chemotherapy.

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Cebu, being one of the hotspots for investors in the country, will again be hosting the longest-running annual construction trade show in the Philippines.

The 15th Construction Show Cebu will be staged from June 1 to 4 at the SM City Cebu Trade Hall.

Lilibeth Ducut-Abais, the managing director of L.A. Ducut and Company Inc. (LADCI), the show’s organizer, said the show has received an enormous and positive response from exhibitors and sponsors all over the country.

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Sun.Star Cebu - Firm sets up spa resort to develop Boljoon

THE quiet town of Boljoon, Cebu is set to become a burgeoning tourism destination in the south.

The Gould-led South Granada Beach Resort and Spa Inc. (SGBRSI) is mulling plans to develop its first beach resort and spa venture dubbed, Baluarte Granada Beach Resort and Spa, in Boljoon, Cebu. It will be a five-minute drive from the town proper.

Sun.Star Cebu - Cebu to see more Chinese guests

MORE Chinese tourists from mainland China will soon be in Cebu since a Chinese airline company, along with a consortium of travel agents, announced direct chartered flights to Cebu .

“We hope that when we open the sky, we increase the benefits for the travel agencies from both cities in terms of tourism and also open business opportunities,” said Yuan Xue Song, China Southern Airlines (CSA) customer sales executive

Cebu tourists limited because of lack of hotel rooms.

The Manila Times Internet Edition | PROPERTY & HOME > Hotel is next to surge after BPO offices, condominiums

THE Philippines posted a record 13,939 rooms last year, a 9.9-percent increase from the 12,683 recorded in year earlier, Trent M. Frankum, general manager of CB Richard Ellis Philippines, Inc. (CBRE) said.

But Frankum also said these additional hotel rooms are not enough to meet the growing demand for more rooms.

Citing the reports of the Philippine Travel Agencies’ Association (PTAA), he said the country has diverted over half-a-million foreign visitors to other destinations in 2006 because of facility problems in key tourist spots in the country. Owing to lack of hotel rooms and flights into the domestic tourist destinations, the tourism industry registered an income loss of $400 million.

“The accommodation capacity of Boracay and Cebu is maximized, which has become a constraint to growth and is contrary to the goals of government to increase the tourist arrivals,” Frankum said.

Sun.Star Cebu - Dutch group to help Cebu SMEs

A BUSINESS group from the Netherlands Management Cooperation program, also called PUM (Porgramma Uitzending Managers), is intensifying its assistance to Cebu’s entrepreneurs to help raise their global competencies.

PUM Netherlands senior experts will be in Cebu next week to offer their skills and practical experience to entrepreneurs and government executives.

Sun.Star Cebu - RP targets 3.1M foreign tourists

THE Department of Tourism (DOT) is targeting to lure 3.1 million foreign tourists by the end of this year, a tourism official said.

DOT Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano said the agency is maintaining the eight to 10 percent growth in tourist arrivals by 2007.
HE is optimitistic of  its target visitor arrival this year, especially in Cebu, due to the province’s successful hosting of the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.

DAILY STAR: Business

Stakeholders in the construction industry will converge at the Ayala Center in Cebu City on May 25-27 for the 5th Philippine Building and Constructio Expo.

Expo organizer Worldbex Services International, said in a press release that PHILBEX 2007 will provide participants with valuable information in various aspects of construction and building.

What’s On Expat -  Direct Flight to Shanghai

FROM THE JAPANESE, to the Koreans and now, the Chinese.
Cebu’s international tourism arrivals are expected to soar even higher with the introduction of China Southern Airlines’ new twice weekly charter flights from Shanghai to Cebu next month.

In an exclusive interview with Tourism Regional Director Dawnie Roa, she informed What’s On & Expat that the airline will be first utilizing the 180-seater Airbus for the first few months since more flights will be added in the next few months.

“From two charter flights a week in June, the airline management said they will increase the frequencies to five a week by September 2007. They are that confident on the tourism assets and landmarks of Cebu,” she proudly stated.

You should check out the new Cebu Sports blog by John Pages.  In this particular entry, he talks about the plan to have a new sports coliseum on the works for Cebu.

Cebu Sports Blog — by John Pages

“I guess it is the right time to build one for Cebu City,” he announced. “Actually, we had started to negotiate with the National Government and the deal is on, we will build a sports coliseum. We will call it the Megadome…”

Sun.Star Manila - Central Visayas exporters set double digit growth over 4 years

EXPORTERS in Cebu City have targeted double digit growth a year between 2007 and 2010 and make the city the export hub of central and southern Philippines in four years.

The target will translate to Central Visayas’ share of US$2.2 billion in total exports for the whole of last year to US$3.7 billion by the end of 2010.