𝐈𝐥𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐋𝐮𝐱𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬

𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐈𝐋𝐎 𝐂𝐈— The Department of Tourism Region VI (DOT VI) is strengthening preparations for the potential inclusion of 𝐈𝐥𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐨 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐬 in the Philippine itineraries of international luxury expedition cruise operators for the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕–𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟖 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧.

As part of the preparations, representatives from the shore excursion and port agents of 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐚 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚, through their local representatives 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠, conducted a series of site and operational validation activities in Iloilo City and Guimaras on 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟑–𝟐𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔.

The validation aimed to assess the readiness and suitability of proposed destinations and tourism sites, particularly in terms of 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬, 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. The activity also provided an opportunity for the cruise representatives and local stakeholders to identify operational requirements and areas that may need further enhancement should the proposed cruise itineraries push through.

On September 23, the validation team, together with DOT Region VI, held a coordination meeting with 𝐏𝐏𝐀 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐋𝐚𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐲 and 𝐈𝐥𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐨 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐫𝐚 to discuss cruise-related preparations, port and shore excursion operations, passenger movement, destination accessibility, and other logistical considerations necessary to ensure a seamless experience for cruise passengers. The discussions emphasized the importance of close coordination among port authorities, the city government, tourism stakeholders, and the private sector in preparing Iloilo City for potential international cruise calls.

The team also proceeded to Guimaras on September 24, 2026, where a coordination meeting was held with 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐉𝐚𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐨 and 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 (𝐏𝐄𝐃𝐎) 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐬 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥. Discussions centered on the province’s 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬, 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. The assessment also looked into the capacity of proposed sites to accommodate cruise visitors while maintaining the environmental and cultural integrity of the destinations.

The DOT Region VI emphasized that the validation is an important step in ensuring that potential cruise destinations are not only attractive to international visitors but are also 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞, 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲. The assessment will likewise provide local stakeholders with valuable inputs in improving destination facilities, services, site management, and visitor experience.

The initiative forms part of the Department’s continuing efforts to position 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, while ensuring that the benefits of cruise tourism are shared with local communities and tourism enterprises.

With the growing interest of international cruise operators in Philippine destinations, DOT Region VI continues to work closely with 𝐏𝐏𝐀, 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐬, 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞-𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 to strengthen the region’s cruise tourism infrastructure and destination readiness.