BAGUIO CITY—At the onset of the summer season, as early as March, tourists would start flocking to Baguio City. The Summer Capital of the Philippines remains as a must-visit destination, apparently because of its cold weather and attractive destinations.
The Baguio City Tourism Office welcomes and assures every visitor of security while in the city.
A total of 152 establishments, from hotels to resorts, is more than enough to cater to tourists. These accommodation establishments helped a lot in terms of data gathering on the number of tourists arrivals in the city. A total of 1,294,906 tourists since February 2017 visited the City of Pines, showing an increase of about 16.11 percent from the previous year, the Tourists Statistics of Baguio City said.
The peak months for tourist influx are noted during the Christmas season, the Panagbenga Flower Festival, Holy Week and the rest of summer. However, on regular days, visitors take advantage of even long weekends to enjoy and unwind in the city. The semitemperate climate is seen as an ideal reason for those who want to escape the scorching heat of the summer sun in the lowlands. Summer events, like the Deaf Festival, and other activities are considered as added factors that attract visitors.
The city tourism office identified the most visited spots in the city as Burnham Park located in the heart of the city along Harrison Road; Mines View Par; Wright Park; Presidential Mansion; and the Botanical Garden. These destinations conveniently serve as one-stop shops for visitors, and are only five minutes to 10 minutes from the city proper.
“The influx of tourists is being addressed through our constant communication with the Summer Vacation Committee [which includes the Baguio City Police Office]. We conduct regular meetings and trainings with Tourism Oriented Cops [TOPS] regarding the proper handling of tourists and traffic management. These TOPS could be found strategically on different tourist destinations in the city,” said Jose Maria Rivera, acting city tourism officer.
Remarkably, people from Metro Manila usually dominate the tourist arrivals over others coming from the provinces.Meanwhiele, foreigners from countries like South Korea and United States lead other overseas visitors on having Baguio as a stop-over point before trekking Mount Pulag, the highest peak in Luzon.
A tour around Baguio would not be complete without the pasalubong or souvenirs. According to most pasalubong vendors along Governor Pack Road, good quality Baguio products, like Good Shepherd preserves and Tartland Lengua de Gato, continue to be the best sellers.
“This summer season, our sales increased up to 50 percent compared to regular days,” one of the vendors said.