Cebu One of Asia's best Islands

[tolstoi]

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i bet he/she's not from CEBU

[arnoldsa]

@torcuato marcelo

nope bro... actually the rankings of Cebu as a top island was made by Condenast Travellers Magazine, a UK based publishing company.. It doesn't mean that Cebu is going away from the whole country.. If you look at the rankings, most of those who made it to the top are Bali, Phuket, etc.. Does this mean also that they are going against their own country? (indonesia, thailand, etc..)

with regards to the "island pacific" thing, this was actually the subject of so many coffee shop talks because some look at it as really greedy. Cebu promoted itself as an "island in the pacific" almost a decade ago when kidnappings in Manila were so rampant.. The cebu officials didn't want the island to be dragged into the mess created by the capital.. Even right now, we are all dragged into this Garci thing.. We have been doing all our best for the good of Cebu and yet a political fight up north that "we ourselves" did not create will affect us?Â* Thus we cannot even blame Mayor Duterte of Davao City if he wants to severe Davao City away from the country because like what I said "we have been doing all our best" to make our hometowns progressive and yet our national leaders are trying to destroy it."

There's nothing greedy with Cebu promoting itself as a top destination.. Even Clark is greedily projecting itself as the country's "only" gateway to the Philippines (ANC interview with the CDC Manager).. Years ago, Cebu officials complained why Cebu was not included among the sites in the Philippines in a promotional segment that was to be aired on CNN (the DOT Sec was then Gordon) and they were only given this answer "you can stand on yourselves."

There's even no exposure of Cebu on that video were various artists and singers are promoting the Philippines (WOW Phils.)

Now what Cebu is doing now, it's doing on itself..Â*

[torcuato marcelo]

I think it is a lame excuse to aggressivel promote Cebu alone because of the kidnappings in Manila and the Garci thing.Â* This issues have never caused dent in the interest of the foreigners to visit the Philippines.

Anyway, i just trust the fairness of the Cebuanos that in doing their best to promote their island they should be civil enough not to discredit other destinations.

I still insist that Cebu should drop that "island in the Pacific or island in Asia" if there is any. I would not protest if Cebu will continue to aggressively to promote itself provided it will still indicate that it is a part of the Philippines like writing "A paradise island-Cebu, Philippines."Â*

We should work hand in hand in promoting the entire country.

[bcasabee]

I think the national government has no money to promote all of our entire 7K Islands. Developing our tourism industry is not just about promotion, we need infrastructures to support our tourist and it involves lots and lots of money in which our government doesn't have. The national government has already tried to promote the entire islands but they failed because they lost focus. Now they are trying to identify spots which will serve as toursim hubs and focus their money on them and I hope they will succeed.

I think, even the national government has nothing to do with the cebu promotion, most of the initiatives were carried out by the private sector who has the money and investment interest.
No need to lecture us about what is right or wrong in tourism, we have already seen the fruits of our business and political leaders initiatives here in Cebu which only prove that the "Island in the pacific" is working. The Philippines is not Cebu's responsibility anyway. Cebu is already a brand of good quality and service, it might be beneficial if other locality will join the Cebu brand and when the market is already big, they can already launch their own brand.

I think it is more unfair that Cebu be dictated by others on how they should develop their industries. Competition is okey, at least domestic/foreign tourist will have more choices.
If cebu started it, then it would be an honor to be the pioneers in the competitive world of tourism, and I hope other localities will try to compete also. They should not wait for the others to help them especially from the national government.

Is this tack go against the government's campaign to promote the entire country as a tourist destination? Why emphasize that Cebu is a separate island? Is this away to capture the entire tourism market to the exclusion of other equally desirable destinations within the Philippines.

Because if we are really sincere in developing our tourism industry I think it is but fair to package the entire country and not Cebu alone. Cebu is trying to start a competition within a country. Is this greed and selfishness?

[arnoldsa]

anyway torcuato marcelo, let's just work hand in hand in making our city and country great..

[pandisal]

t. marcelo, please don't make any positive happening on our belove cebu a negative issue... be happy with it since cebu is far from the political problem in our national capiltal... besides, we us cebuanos ourselves did the promotion, we cannnot carry our national burden...

[tolstoi]

t. marcelo are u a native of Cebu or from somehwere else?

[torcuato marcelo]

t. marcelo, please don't make any positive happening on our belove cebu a negative issue... be happy with it since cebu is far from the political problem in our national capiltal... besides, we us cebuanos ourselves did the promotion, we cannnot carry our national burden...

The issue is not political.Â* Its about the wholistic approach of our national tourism industry.Â*You are not asked to carry the national burden. What about the others who need income from tourist? An island in the pacific thing is misleading.

Its a lie and its foul.Â* Thats my opinion and you may or may not agree. I wont post anymore about this topic.

[pandisal]

Good.. coz your are not indeed a nationalistic person, in fact you are promoting different nation!... that is your mexico.... at least we are promoting cebu...

t. marcelo, please don't make any positive happening on our belove cebu a negative issue... be happy with it since cebu is far from the political problem in our national capiltal... besides, we us cebuanos ourselves did the promotion, we cannnot carry our national burden...

The issue is not political. Its about the wholistic approach of our national tourism industry. You are not asked to carry the national burden. What about the others who need income from tourist? An island in the pacific thing is misleading.

Its a lie and its foul. Thats my opinion and you may or may not agree. I wont post anymore about this topic.

[arnoldsa]

. What about the others who need income from tourist? An island in the pacific thing is misleading.

That I guess is their own prerogative as to how they should promote themselves...