DOT urges Eastern Visayas tourism sector to prepare for El Niño

TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of Tourism (DOT) has urged local governments and tourism establishments in Eastern Visayas to prepare measures against El Niño, warning that prolonged dry conditions and warmer temperatures could affect water supplies, tourism operations, and visitor safety.

In a public advisory issued on Tuesday, DOT-8 encouraged tourism stakeholders to review their contingency and business continuity plans, conserve water, ensure the availability of safe drinking water and essential facilities, and strengthen safety measures for outdoor and adventure activities.

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The agency also advised tourism establishments to inform visitors about applicable safety precautions and coordinate with local government units (LGUs) and disaster risk reduction offices to prepare for possible disruptions.

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The advisory comes as Eastern Visayas continues to experience growth after recovering from the pandemic’s impact on tourism, recording more than 9.3 million overnight and same-day visitors in 2025, surpassing its pre-pandemic performance, according to DOT-8 data.

The region recorded 2,814,548 overnight visitors last year, including 2,769,018 domestic tourists and 45,530 foreign tourists. It also registered 6,506,021 same-day visitors, comprising 6,462,653 domestic visitors and 43,368 foreign visitors.

Overnight visitor arrivals increased by 73 percent compared to 2024, while same-day visitor arrivals were up 17 percent.

Compared with 2019, overnight arrivals grew 161 percent while same-day visitor arrivals expanded 138 percent.

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Despite the increase in visitor numbers, the tourism sector faces potential operational challenges from prolonged dry weather, particularly in ensuring sufficient water supplies for accommodation facilities, restaurants, and tourist destinations.

The DOT-8 advisory also emphasized the need to protect tourists and tourism workers from conditions that could affect outdoor activities and visitor comfort.

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Eastern Visayas has an average accommodation occupancy rate of 36 percent, while average tourist expenditure is estimated at P5,902, based on the agency’s data.

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Partial figures for January to June 2026 showed 781,941 overnight visitors, including 767,308 domestic tourists and 14,633 foreign visitors. The region also recorded 1,778,133 same-day visitors, comprising 1,767,787 domestic and 10,346 foreign visitors.

However, these figures cover only 50 to 60 percent of submissions from local government units, making the 2026 data incomplete. DOT-8 acting Regional Director Ma. Catherina Apostol called on LGUs and tourism enterprises to submit accurate, timely visitor statistics, saying complete data would help the agency and local stakeholders monitor changes in visitor demand, identify emerging markets, and assess destination performance.

“If statistics are meant to guide us, then we also need to look beyond the numbers, because a number tells us what is happening; it is the story behind the number that helps us understand why it is happening, who is affected, and what to do next,” Apostol said.

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The DOT-8 said coordination among tourism stakeholders, LGUs and disaster risk reduction offices would be important in minimizing the potential effects of El Niño while ensuring the safety and comfort of visitors and sustaining tourism operations across Eastern Visayas./coa