TOURISM

Tourism industry is one of the burgeoning industries in the country today. Davao Region’s comparative advantage lies in its natural and exotic sites, hence, the products such as Culture, Adventure and Nature, also known as CAN package. Promotion of these sites is fostered through the Department of Tourism’s banner program of “From Islands to Highlands”.

Among the Region’s provincial inventory of eco-tourism products, Davao Oriental has the highest number of products classified as Natural. The province boasts of diverse natural spots such as cascading waterfalls, pristine lakes and rivers, idyllic white sand beaches, exotic islands, lush forest and a bonsai forest. There are also cultural and historical sites such as the Cape of San Agustin where St. Francis Xavier was supposed to have said mass, and the 17th century San Salvador Church of Caraga that houses antique bell and images of saints.

Tourists in the province are mostly local visitors coming from neighboring provinces and cities, “balikbayans”, visitors of some locales, participants to conferences and seminars hosted by the province, and some serious tourists from all over the country who are lured by the natural attractions of the area. There are some foreign visitors brought home by locales who either worked abroad or who married foreigners, and those who would really like to experience the rustic ambiance of some places in the province. All of these visitors provide an anchor for Davao Oriental’s tourism industry to thrive.

The tourism industry involves a broad mix of tourism operators who do business to provide complementary services ranging from travel arrangements and bookings, transportation facilities, hotels/resorts and home stays for accommodation, restaurants and entertainments. Thus, the industry offers a lot in terms of investments, employment and income.