More foreign travelers visited Cebu in the first nine months of 2026, helping push total tourist arrivals in the province to nearly 1.15 million, up 8.6% from the same period last year.
The Cebu Provincial Government recorded 1,146,864 arrivals from January to September, an increase of 90,712 from the 1,056,152 visitors logged in the first nine months of 2025, based on consolidated figures as of Oct. 19.
Foreign arrivals rose 26.52% to 250,550, outpacing the 4.45% growth in domestic tourism, which reached 896,314 visitors.
South Korea topped Cebu’s foreign source markets with 60,918 arrivals, followed by the United States with 23,594 and Japan with 22,597.
Gov. Pamela Baricuatro said the continued growth could create more opportunities for local communities and businesses.
“We are happy to see Cebu’s tourism industry continue to grow, creating more opportunities for our communities. We will continue working with our tourism stakeholders to sustain this momentum, support local livelihoods and ensure that more Cebuanos benefit from this growth,” she said.
The Cebu Provincial Tourism Office said the increase in local and international visitors indicated the continued recovery and strengthening of the province’s tourism market.
Among local destinations, Santa Fe recorded the most arrivals at 130,553, followed by Oslob with 57,667 and San Remigio with 53,348.
The province also reported positive growth in tourist arrivals from 55 countries, with South Korea, China, the United Kingdom, Australia and Malaysia among the leading markets.
Cordova, Daanbantayan, Moalboal and Mandaue City contributed to visitor numbers from these markets.
Despite the overall increase, arrivals from 13 countries declined, prompting the provincial government to monitor changes in international travel patterns and tourism demand.
The figures also reflect differences in local reporting.
As of Oct. 19, only 23 local government units had submitted complete reports, while nine had submitted figures for August only, 14 had incomplete submissions and five had yet to report.
The provincial government said it continues to consolidate tourism statistics to track industry performance and identify opportunities to strengthen Cebu’s tourism market.
📷 Eric Gamorot / Instagram
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