Caraga Region Witnesses Remarkable Increase in Tourist Arrivals in 2023
Siargao Island, Caraga Region – The Department of Tourism (DOT) office in Caraga, also known as DOT-13, has expressed expectations of a substantial increase in tourist arrivals for the year 2023, surpassing the remarkable 92.1 percent growth experienced in the previous year.
According to Philippines News Agency, during a recent interview, the resurgence of flights in the Caraga region, particularly to Siargao Island, is a major contributor to the anticipated increase. Siargao Island plays a significant role in the region’s tourism as it constitutes a large portion of the total arrivals. The island recently secured a spot in the 2023 edition of Condé Nast Traveler’s (CNT) Top 10 Readers’ Choice Awards, alongside renowned destinations like Boracay and Palawan. Siargao also topped the CNT list in 2021.
The total elimination of border controls is expected to contribute to a boost in tourist numbers, eclipsing the figures from 2022 and 2021, which stood at 725,766 and 377,441, respectively. Dumadag emphasized the critical role of local sources, including local governments and private stakeholders, in accurately capturing this year’s actual arrival figures. She noted that data collection and processing for this year’s tourist arrivals are currently underway at the local level.
In 2022, the region saw a total of 711,059 domestic visitors and 14,207 foreign tourists. The DOT-13 report highlights a noticeable increase in tourist arrivals in several areas of the region. Surigao del Norte recorded 183,528 arrivals in 2022 (174,303 domestic, 9,225 foreign), up from 28,287 (27,553 domestic, 734 foreign) in 2021. The Dinagat Islands saw an increase from 1,091 domestic visits in 2021 to 16,818 (16,777 domestic, 41 foreign) in 2022. Surigao del Sur welcomed 70,916 domestic visitors in 2022, a significant rise from 12,722 in the previous year. Agusan del Sur also experienced growth with 54,300 visits in 2022 (54,141 domestic, 159 foreign) compared to 36,715 in 2021 (36,697 domestic, 18 foreign).
However, Agusan del Norte witnessed a decline in tourist arrivals, with 31,037 domestic visits in 2022, down from 124,507 domestic visitors in 2021. Regarding city visits within the region, Surigao City recorded the highest number with 143,770 visits in 2022 (140,884 domestic, 2,886 foreign), a notable increase from 56,575 (55,862 domestic, 713 foreign) visits in the previous year. Butuan City saw 105,904 visits (104,119 domestic, 1,785 foreign) in 2022, up from 51,071 (50,976 domestic, 95 foreign) in 2021. Tandag City recorded 56,656 visits (56,600 domestic, 56 foreign) in 2022, increasing from 31,076 (31,074 domestic, 2 foreign) visits in the previous year.