Bacolod City registered a record number of foreign tourist arrivals in 2005, hitting a total of 25,438 visitors from other countries, statistics released by the City Tourism Office yesterday showed.

Domestic tourist arrivals, however, decreased for the first time since 1999, with only 197,652 Filipino visitors last year, compared to 201,419 in 2004.

Despite the fall in the number of domestic visitors, Bacolod's overall tourist arrivals, including domestic, foreign and overseas workers, still increased by five percent in 2005, reaching 218,282 from only 205,355 in the previous year.

City Tourism Officer Imogene Kana-an said they will now go into direct marketing with travel agencies to promote Bacolod as a tourist destination.

FOREIGN TOURISTS

BCTO statistics indicate that, in 2004, total foreign tourist arrivals was only 16,863; 2003, 15,323; 2002, 14,414; 2001, 9,285; 2000, 10,585 and 1999, 8,601.

Of the 25,438 foreigners who visited the city last year, Americans topped the arrival data, with 6,283 visitors.

Others in the Top 10 are: Japan, 3,752; and South Korea, 1,983; Australia, 1,634; Singapore, 1,500; Thailand, 1,409; Canada, 1,275; Great Britain/UK, 1,116; China, 878; and Myanmar, 805.

2005 STATISTICS

Last year, the highest tourist arrivals in Bacolod were registered in May, with 23,424 visitors. It is followed by February with 22,113, and March, 21,810.

The city had the lowest number of visitors in December, with only 12,408.*NLG/CGS

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