Tourist arrivals in SOX up by 21% in 1st Semester of 2017

Despite the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, tourists continue to flock to major tourist destinations in SOX or SOCCSKSARGEN Region.

According to data from the Department of Tourism-12, tourist arrivals in the region for the first semester of this year reached a total 2,504,962, an increase of 21% as compared to 2,065,053 in the same period last year.

Day tourists have increased by 47% from 1,529,224 last year to 2,241,137 this 2017.

However foreign visitors posted a decrease of 55 percent with 14,893 in said period this 2017 as against last year’s 32,733 arrivals.

SOCCSKSARGEN or Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and Cotabato Province, and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

From January to June, General Santos City recorded the highest tourist arrivals among cities and provinces of in the region. The city recorded a total of 806,841 tourist arrivals or 32.41%, followed by Sarangani Province with 649,060 or 25.91% and Cotabato Province with 303,488 or 12.12%.

The Province of South Cotabato ranked 4th in tourist arrivals for the first semester with 259,965 or 10.38%. The data from DOT-12 indicates that tourist arrivals in the province decreased by 23% as compared to 336,458 in the same period in 2016.

Cotabato City placed 5th with total tourist arrivals of 126,814 followed by Kidapawan City with 116,016, Tacurong City with 106,376 and the City of Koronadal with 98,775.

The Province of Sultan Kudarat registered a total of 37,627 tourist arrivals for the fist semester this year.