Central Visayas recorded a downturn in tourism performance in the first quarter of 2026 as visitor arrivals and hotel occupancy rates fell despite hosting major international events. According to the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DepDev-7), the region faced travel challenges with hotel room occupancy in Cebu dropping 14 percent and total guest nights plummeting 97 percent year-on-year.
Bohol Sees Sharp Decline in Tourist Arrivals
Bohol experienced a steep decline in tourist arrivals, dropping from 417,142 arrivals in the first quarter of 2025 to 170,016 in the same period of 2026. This represents an approximate 59 percent decrease year-on-year. The province is actively pursuing diversification of
its tourism through geotourism circuits, gastronomy and arts trails, and expanded regenerative and community-based tourism.
Cebu Faces Moderate Visitor Decline Amid Expanding Room Inventory
Cebu province recorded a 6 percent decrease in tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2026. Despite this decline, Cebu’s available hotel room inventory expanded by 227 percent compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, rooms occupied fell 14 percent and total guest nights plunged 97 percent, indicating weaker demand. Cebu remains a primary destination for visitors from East Asia, mainly South Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan.
Regional Challenges and Key Source Markets
DepDev-7 attributed the tourism slump to several external factors, including global geopolitical tensions, rising fuel costs, higher airfares, travel
uncertainty, increased competition from other regional destinations, and shifting traveler preferences. East Asia continues to be Central Visayas’ main source of foreign visitors with South Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan leading arrivals.
Major Events and Tourism Initiatives
Central Visayas hosted high-profile events in early 2026 that raised its global profile despite visitor declines. The annual Sinulog Festival in January attracted 5.2 million spectators and coincided with a 9.1 percent rise in regional restaurant and accommodation inflation. The region also hosted the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat and the ASEAN Tourism Forum leading up to the 48th ASEAN Summit held in May.
Cebu’s status as a meetings,
incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) hub received reinforcement from international awards and the release of its MICE Guide 2025, which showcases 300 event-ready establishments. To combat online travel scams that reported nearly 200 incidents by March 2026, Cebu and Bohol jointly launched the “Turista iWAS Scam” program. Bohol passed the Sustainable Tourism Development Code into law, while Virgin Island reopened to visitors after a two-year closure.
The region anticipates improved event capacity with the planned 2026 openings of the SMX Seaside Cebu Arena and the SMX Convention Center Cebu.
Despite the setbacks in visitor arrivals and hotel occupancy, Central Visayas
maintains focus on sustainable, regenerative, and community-based tourism development, positioning Cebu as a growing MICE destination while pursuing diversification strategies in Bohol.
