The number of tourists that arrived in the city from Nov. 24 to 26 was estimated at P80,000.
The dates saw the opening of the Botanical Garden “Christmas Metamorphosis,” a prelude to the city government’s month-long calendar of Yuletide events dubbed “An Enchanting Baguio Christmas.”
City Tourism Officer Aloysius Mapalo said during the long weekend, the hotel occupancy rate was between 90 to 100 percent.
He said a similar trend is expected in all weekends of December, the month being a perennial tourist peak season in the city.
He said heavy traffic was experienced in major attractions in the city particularly the Botanical Garden, Camp John Hay, Baguio Country Club Christmas Village, Wright Park, Igorot Stone Kingdom, and Mirador Eco-park.
The Baguio City Police Office noted a heavy influx of vehicles on the dates and said the traffic situation was intensively monitored for adjustment.
As of October, the City Tourism Office has recorded 787,572 tourist arrivals.
The city’s tourist data are 1,042,309 in 2022; 247,480 in 2021; 1,536,458 in 2019; 1,760,729 in 2018; 1,521,748 in 2017; and 1,294,906 in 2016.
The data could be higher as they only include visitors who stayed in the registered accommodation establishments that submitted their occupancy reports.
The figures do not include the day tourists who did not stay in accommodation establishments and those who made use of these establishments but were unreported. – Aileen P. Refuerzo
