As country's tourists hit 2.8M mark… Bohol hosted .5M tourists in 2006

THOUGH the numbers could still be way down compared to the actual arrivals, monitoring records from the Bohol Tourism Office note at least 472,270 tourists arrivals as gathered from monitoring stations in two of Bohol's busiest entry points. According to the BTO compiled monitoring report based on the stations at the Tagbilaran Airport and sea port terminal, 2006 had 318,976 tourists arrivals using the seaport while 96,554 came via Bohol's air terminal.

To note, tourists to Bohol have also used alternative entry points in Tubigon, Talibon, Ubay and Jagna, but reports did not indicate BTO monitoring staff stationed in these ports. Tubigon, Bohol 's busiest port is just two hours by slow boat from Cebu . It has often been regarded as a logical entry point for low budget tourists and backpackers out to experience Bohol .

Tubigon offers hourly boat trips to and from Cebu , while Talibon and Ubay ports would not be far behind in servicing guests, tourism stakeholders bared. In a phone interview with the BTO, a staff bared that as much as 93,850 foreigners entered Bohol via the two BTO monitoring stations, while roughly 378,420 locals and Filipino tourists have been spotted by BTO monitors for the year. This as the country records 2.8 million tourists visiting last year. Topping the list of foreign arrivals are South Korea , the US and China , the Tourism Department reported recently. The recent figures in tourist arrivals comprise the 8.4 percent rise from 2005, but fell short of the 3 million target for 2006, official figures showed.

The Philippines says it aims to attract 5 million visitors a year by 2010 to boost the economy. In Bohol , where local officials pursue eco-cultural tourism as an economic driver, the monthly accomplishment of 30,000 guests may be translated to an average of 90,000 jobs while economic planners factor a 1:3 ratio in tourist and job generated ratio.

Local planners have figured that an average tourist spends at least $10 in Bohol , or an average of 300,000 spurring the local economy. The formula, observers said has been very effective in tracking the development that trickles into every family table, an real economic booster that has contributed to Bohol being propelled out of the list of the country's poorest provinces.

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