CEBU CITY, Philippines - Tourism stakeholders in Cebu are considering Hop-On/Hop-Off Bus Tours, also known as Loop Tours, as a quick and convenient way for getting an overview of the city. Mila Espina, Chairperson of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) - Tourism Committee bared the possibility of starting this new project in a move to reinvent Cebu's tourism industry. "We are excited about this project because it will be the first of its kind in the country," Espina said during a press briefing. "Now, tourists and even locals wishing to take affordable trips to popular tourism attractions in Cebu can simply take a bus ride at specified drop points within Cebu City." Hop-On/ Hop-Off Bus Tours are frequently used by visitors on their first day or two in a new city as it quickly gives them an overview of how an area is laid out, while a tour guide provides a history and interesting facts of the city. After seeing most of the major sites via the hop-on/hop-off bus tour, visitors can then determine an itinerary for the rest of their stay, deciding which particular areas of the city they would like to visit again on their own and which sites they would like to see in more detail. HopOn/HopOff tours are also used by visitors who only have a very short amount of time in an area. The Loop Tour enables them to cover a lot of ground within a short period of time and see most of the major attractions of a city. Hop-On-Hop-Off City Tour Co-chair Teresa Chan reported that the committee has already conducted a dry-run last month with the different stakeholders in the tourism industry. They visited major attractions in the City including the Cebu City Hall, Parian, Casa Gorordo, Colon Street, Jones Avenue (Osmeña Blvd.), Fuente Osmeña, the Capitol, Magellan's Cross, Taoist Temple, JY Square, IT Park, Ayala Center Cebu, SM City Cebu, Museo Sugbo and Fort San Pedro.
"This kind of project is feasible in Cebu because the city alone is packed with attractions. We are determined to introduce this new concept and work on means to be able to sustain it," Chan said. She said initially, the project, which is set to be formally launched by February 2011, will need four buses. Stakeholders, including the local government units, will also have to deliberate on the rates to be charged for the tours.
