𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐎 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐒
The Cebu Provincial Government is developing a P1.9-million online booking platform aimed at protecting tourists from fraudulent transactions while strengthening the province’s digital tourism services.
The initiative is expected to enhance tourist safety, improve the credibility of Cebu’s tourism industry, and provide provincial officials with more accurate data for tourism planning and policy-making.
Led by the Provincial Tourism Office (PTO), the platform will provide travelers with direct access to legitimate tour operators accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and recognized by local government units (LGUs), helping address growing concerns over online booking scams.
PTO head Rowena Montecillo said the platform forms part of the Province’s broader effort to improve tourist safety and confidence while supporting Cebu’s push to become a premier tourism destination.
“We are hoping na this will somehow resolve problems on scamming because it [the website] will only lead them to legitimate contact details,” she said in an interview with the media.
The online booking system will be integrated into the official PTO website, which is also being developed, and will be monitored by a dedicated team of administrative staff.
Montecillo assured the public that safeguards against fraud are built into the system, noting that it will be linked to a “mother” website managed by the Province of Cebu.
Beyond providing secure booking channels, the platform will enable the PTO to gather tourism data, including visitors’ nationality, number of guests, length of stay, and booking success rates, allowing the Province to better monitor tourism activity and trends.
“We have so many requirements [to comply with] because we also get the data of the tourists from there,” Montecillo said, adding that the system will comply with applicable security and privacy regulations.
The Capitol also plans to expand the platform by integrating the booking systems of LGUs and private-sector stakeholders. Montecillo said destinations that manage their own tourism programs, such as Oslob, will be invited to participate.
She added that partnerships with hotels, restaurants, and other tourism enterprises are likewise being pursued.
“We are asking our supplier nga i-open na siya [website] for anybody who would want to join basta legitimate lang,” she said.
The system will initially be piloted in the southern Cebu towns of Alegria, Samboan, Ginatilan, Oslob, and Malabuyoc, which are among the province’s key tourism destinations.
The project remains in its first phase, with an initial presentation to tour operators scheduled this week. It will also undergo a series of consultations with hotels and local government units to ensure stakeholder participation in the platform’s development.
The PTO aims to complete the consultation process by the start of the fourth quarter of the year. | 𝑪𝑨𝑷𝑰𝑻𝑶𝑳 𝑷𝑰𝑶
- 𝑷𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒚 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒎 𝑶𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒌
Check this also: Gov. Pam Baricuatro Signs Right to Care Executive Order in Cebu
