The number of tourists coming to Dumaguete during the first five months of this year has remained stable with only a slight variable each month, City Tourism Office records showed.

Americans still topped the list of foreign nationals visiting the capital city of Oriental Negros, followed by South Koreans, Japanese, Australians, and those from United Kingdom, Australia and France.

From January to May this year, a total of 67,550 tourists were registered, with the month of May having the highest number of tourist arrivals at 14,724, records also indicated. The year started off in January with a total of 12,924 tourists, which increased slightly to 13,583 in February, dropped by a very small margin in March at 13,543, and the lowest mark at 12,776 in April.

Within the five-month period, a total of 2,140 American tourists were registered, followed by South Koreans, 1, 494, and Japanese, 1,189.

City tourism officer in-charge Jaybee Aquino lauded President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for pushing for a stronger infrastructure backbone to complement and boost current tourism promotions.

Arroyo, during her State of the Nation Address last Monday, said that the Dumaguete airport was already up for expansion.

The construction of more airports and roll-on, roll-off ports in the country will also make other tourist destinations more accessible, giving tourists more tour packages to choose from, and connecting one area to another, Aquino said.*JG

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