With chambers in the Visayas are being urged to take the lead in promoting their own destinations.
At the recent 52nd Philippine Business Conference and Exposition (PBC&E) at The Manila Hotel last October 14, an action plan to package local tourism products, promote island destinations, and connect travelers through Cebu was presented and discussed by the Visayas Island-Chambers Tourism Alliance (VITA) and tourism partners.
It took place during a breakout session entitled Connecting Destinations, Creating Opportunities: A Collaborative Discussion on Tourism Growth Through Regional Connectivity.
VITA Chairman and PCCI Lapu-Lapu President Anthony Noel noted the four key steps to strengthen regional tourism and economic collaboration.
First is to audit and package signature local offerings into Cebu-linked tourism circuits in partnership with VITA.
Second, they can mobilize members through chamber orientations that encourage hotels, dining establishments, craft businesses, and transport providers to participate.
Third, they can also advocate locally by using MCIA route data to engage municipal and provincial governments in aligning festivals, infrastructure, and policies with VITA routes.
Lastly, they can also expand collaboration beyond tourism to facilitate trade missions, business-to-business exchanges, and investment pitches by leveraging connections among chambers in Cebu, as well as nearby provinces of Bohol, Leyte, Samar, Negros, and Panay.
“VITA gives value on two levels. Level one is for your members: more visitors, a spot in packaged circuits, more footfall. Level two is for your chamber itself: stronger member retention, real data to talk to your LGUs, and training and toolkits for your team. Both matter,” said Noel.
He furthered, “More routes mean more arrivals. More arrivals only help if visitors stay longer and spend locally. That’s where we (VITA) come in: building products, championing our destinations and getting businesses ready. MCIA (Mactan-Cebu International Airport) brings the planes, and we turn them into local income.”
Meanwhile, for her part, AIC Airports Head of Tourism and Destination Marketing Blessie Cruz challenged chambers present to make three commitments: contribute a market-ready experience, connect it to an itinerary with another destination, and share its reach to promote the shared offer.
Under the plan, the Discover The Visayas, #FlyViaCebu — a campaign led by VITA with the Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), and MCIA operator Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation (ACAC) — is the core focus.
“Discover the Visayas, #FlyViaCebu is a model for regional collaboration. One Philippine arrival through Cebu can open up a journey across more island destinations,” Cruz said. “Cebu gives us the shared gateway, while destinations contribute the reasons to visit. Partners connect their resources so the traveler can plan, book and move with less friction.”
A panel with Noel, Cruz, as well as PCCI Boracay President Djila Winebrenner, PCCI Area Vice President for Visayas Atty. Jobert Peñaflorida, and AIC First Vice President and Head of Corporate Affairs Christopher Camba outlined how each partner contributes.
“By working alongside DOT and PCCI, we can better align our efforts to strengthen destination competitiveness, support local enterprises, and create more opportunities for communities across the Visayas,” Camba said.
The partners aim to measure the results in the Visayas and adapt the model for other regions, with business chambers taking a more active role in promoting their destinations.
The breakout session formed part of the PBC&E’s conversation under the theme Raising the Bar: Empowering Business for a Resilient Future, and followed the earlier presentation of a Memorandum of Understanding among the DOT, PCCI (representing VITA), and ACAC outlining a a framework to advance the Discover the Visayas, #FlyViaCebu campaign, promoting greater connectivity and tourism development across the region.
Core to the strategy is the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), which will begin serving 28 domestic and 17 international destinations beginning November 2026.
The airport handled 11.6 million passengers in 2025, up nearly 3% year-on-year, and international passengers grew 18.4% in January to June 2026, while Central Visayas received 2.55 million foreign visitors in 2025.
“Our members already have the experiences. The work now is to package them so a traveler can plan, book, and move between islands with ease,” said Winebrenner.
MCIA also enables connectivity and market access through premier transfer service CEB Connects, while the DOT leads destination promotion, tourism circuits, and capacity building.
VITA and business chambers mobilize local businesses, develop tourism products, and champion their destinations. Klook and Trip.com provide booking channels through the Discover the Visayas website.
“The Visayas Island-Chambers Tourism Alliance proves that we are stronger, more resilient, and more vibrant when we move forward together. Let us make ‘One Visayas’ not just a vision, but an economic reality,” Peñaflorida declared in his presentation.
Under AIC Airports, AIC also operates Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu, Laguindingan International Airport in Misamis Oriental, and Bohol-Panglao International Airport in Bohol, the country’s second-, seventh-, and tenth-busiest gateways, respectively.
