TOURISTS arrivals in Roxas City and Capiz is in the upswing as it registered an uptrend figures of 80,886 in 2011 and 95,037 in 2012 or an increase of 14,151 or 17.5% growth, based on the figures from accommodation establishments submitted monthly.
The increase is partly attributed to the number of seminars held in Capiz and various events hosted by the Province.
Sport events also brought guests, especially when some delegations opted to stay in local schools instead of staying in schools as billeting areas.
Based on record, several regional and national conferences were held in the city in 2012 by various private groups, socio-civic clubs and government agencies. These conferences brought thousands of participants in the venues, who also explored various tourist spots in the province and savored the best of Capiz as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines and the Garden Center of Western Visayas.
The presence of standard accommodation establishments and convention venues is making Roxas City a perfect place for convention activities in the region. Tourist class hotel rooms and function rooms of various sizes and capacities to chose from, each bearing different amenities and world class facilities, is helping the place become an upcoming convention center.
The distinct Capiceño hospitality whose smiles can easily send the message of “welcome” and “glad you came” is one undeniable asset that invites guests to keep coming back. The innate Capiceño traits of getting out of their usual ways to give their visitors the kind of treatment as if there is no limit, is actually captivating and hard to find nowadays.
Fortunately, the proximate distance of Roxas City and Capiz to nearby Province of Aklan, particularly the municipality of Caticlan, is a “plus factor” for convention participants wanting to do some side-trips after their activity and before going home.
For one, it also gave them the opportunity to proceed to the Island Paradise of Boracay after attending their conferences, thus extending their bonding moments with their colleagues at less expense. The availability of tourists van offering reasonable rates for all Boracay-bound guests makes their side-travel easier and hassle-free.
This “plus factor” keeps event organizer’s preference on having their conventions or conferences in the Seafood Capital above any other Visayas destinations. Although their Boracay stay is limited for 2 or 3 days, the convention trip to the Seafood Capital is like hitting two birds with one stone and is always a mixture of work and fun or business and leisure.
These assets, with the local tourists spot waiting to be visited also abounds, are contributing factors that make the Roxas City and Capiz a popular destination in the Visayas.
Like the Spanish Conquistadores who chose the old Capiz their second settlement after leaving Cebu, they too, could have found something in the place that made them stay.
It could be the nine-kilometer stretch shoreline of Baybay Beach, the Panay River that passes the very heart of Capiz town (now Roxas City), the richness of the sea (that gave its image as the country’s seafood Capital) or the unique hospitality of its inhabitants. It could also be the love and pride of place that encouraged the local businessmen to invest on hotels, resorts, seafood restaurants, convention halls, transport, travel agencies, souvenir shops, river tours, eco-parks, sports activities and festivals.
Whatever it is, the 17.5% growth on tourist arrivals over last year, is truly inspiring and is keeping local tourism worth noticing. (TDH/Alger O. Inocencio)
