NUSTAR’s Dragon Boat Regatta 2026 takes center stage on its second year this September 18 to 20, 2026, gaining double the number of registrations from its first year.
The event will be held at NUSTAR Resort Cebu’s boardwalk area with 40 participating teams, seven of which are international groups. The team count doubled last year’s total of 20 teams, with paddlers set to compete in a 200-meter stretch within NUSTAR Resort’s waters.
This year’s “In Full Balance” campaign is envisioned to celebrate athletic excellence, community engagement, and camaraderie between participants alike while also showcasing Cebu’s natural landscape.
Cebu as a Future Sports Tourism Hub
In the event’s press conference, NUSTAR Resort Cebu Chief Operating Officer Sean Robert Knights expressed the resort’s interest in helping establish Cebu as a premier destination for sports tourism. “Our city has the water, the access, and the community for events of this scale and beyond. Events like this also boost opportunities beyond the raceourse by bringing in the traffic to support local business, strengthen partnerships, and roping newcomers into the excitement that we provide,” Knights added.
Cebu City Public Information Office head Jesson Morata delivered a message on behalf of Mayor Nestor Archival, saying the regatta can create opportunities for our local businesses, tourism stakeholders, and communities. “This regatta is an opportunity to showcase Cebu as a premier destination where world-class sporting events, vibrant culture, and warm Cebuano hospitality come together,” he added.
Department of Tourism Senior Tourism Operations Officer Czarina Morandarte-Enabe also agrees with the vision for Cebu’s future in sports tourism, saying “We see a vibrant reflection of what Central Visayas stands for: a perfect of harmony of modern progress, rich cultural heritage, inclusivity, and spectacular natural landscapes.”
Partnerships and Responsibilities
Following its previous year, the 2026 Regatta continues its partnership with the Philippine Accessible Disability Services Inc. (PADS) to reinforce the event’s emphasis on inclusivity. The second year of the event welcomes racers across multiple divisions, including men’s, women’s, and mixed teams, as well as categories for seniors aged 40 and above, youth under 24, and para-athletes.
Organizers working on the event are also eyeing environmental initiatives such as coastal clean-ups or tree-planting drives as a broader push to align the competition with sustainability efforts along Cebu’s shoreline. As part of their corporate social responsibility initiative, NUSTAR is open to discuss either options with respective Local Government Units (LGU) to see which initiative suits Cebu’s best interest
The event is also in partnership with brands that share similar missions in athletics, such as IPI Omega and Milo who have also run programs in support for various athletes.
Dragon Boat Racing in the Philippines
Starting as an ancient Chinese ritual over 2,000 years ago, dragon boat racing continues to evolve into a competitive international sport and is gaining more international interest since the 1970s. The Philippines also once held two world records in dragon boating and swept all gold medals in the discipline at the 2005 SEA Games, signaling a strong history of the sport in the country.
With the incoming three-day boat racing event this September, NUSTAR continues to set their goal in improving Cebu’s sports tourism as Cebu’s all-natural resources make these ventures ideal.
Comments