By Leslie D. Venzon
CEBU CITY, Sept. 1 (PNA) — Cebu province’s hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings this year is bringing economic and job benefits to its hospitality, tourism and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) industries, a tourism official said.
“We are expecting 2,300 delegates. The minimum expenditure of one APEC delegate, excluding the accommodation, is about $ 100 a day,” said Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 7 Director Rowena Montecillo in a press briefing held here Tuesday.
Montecillo said her office tour desk has reported 49 tours for around 107 delegates spending an average of Php2,500 to Php3,000 per person.
“That will be Php250,000 to Php300,000 sales for our tour consortium until yesterday,” she said.
Montecillo said local tourism enterprises are gaining directly and indirectly from hosting some APEC meetings.
“Some of the hotels especially the four venue hotels will have to hire additional people to assist them when it comes to housekeeping, serving (waiters) and other frontline services,” she said.
Moreover, the tourism official said local producers were gaining sales from APEC delegates.
Exhibit, dubbed as ‘Exquisitely Filipino,’ featuring the province’s products such as fashion accessories, furniture and office and home furnishings, is ongoing at SM Cebu.
“I think the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) is expanding the trade hall. There will be additional 20 to 30 more suppliers,” Montecillo added. (PNA)