Known as the ‘Woodstock of Birders,’ the British Birdwatching Fair is an exclusive event where all sectors in birdwatching and wildlife conservation from all over the world gather.

Presented by BirdLife International, the award was given to the Department of Tourism (DOT) which was also named as the Species Champion for the said endemic bird.

“This award seals our country’s status as a premier birdwatching site in the global birders’ community. More importantly, it will draw further support for biodiversity awareness and wildlife preservation from our local sectors,” said Tourism Secretary Ace Durano.

The Cebu Flowerpecker has been rediscovered by renowned birder and zoologist Dr. Rob Timmins who saw it in 1992, 100 years after its last sighting. The bird was found in the village of Tabunan, and small numbers can also be seen in Nug-As and Mount Lantoy, also in Cebu. Presently, an estimated 100 birds of this specie may be living in the area.

British birdwatchers have also confirmed new sightings of the elusive bird. Matt Merritt, Features Editor of the noted BirdWatching Magazine, wrote about his party’s glimpses of the rare specie in their visit to Cebu recently. He described it as stocky, 12cm-long, with a distinctively red back, grey-white underparts, blue-black wings and a black head with short stout bill.

Capturing the bird in a photo has long been every birder’s dream, as no photo of it yet exists due to its size and elusive nature, some of UK’s birders said.

Touted by the British wildlife enthusiasts as the bird that’s ‘back from the dead,’ the Cebu Flowerpecker was also cited as the flagship specie at the UK Birdfair. The event theme for this year was ‘Lost and Found,’ highlighting winged species which were known to be extinct but have been recently rediscovered.

Apart from the Cebu Flowerpecker, Merritt named other prized winged species that his group saw in their treks to other birding sites of the country which are Pampanga and Palawan.

Some which he mentioned include, the Philippine Duck, Cinammon Bittern, Night Herons, Luzon Hornbill, Philippine Hanging Parrot, Bar-bellied Cuckoo Shrike, Philippine Falconet, Sooty Woodpecker, Yellow-vented Bulbuls, Brahminy Kite, Great Sand Plover, Terek Sandpiper, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Palawan Peacock Pheasant, Tarictic Hornbill and Black Shama.

“With one-third of our birds endemic, birdwatching is a viable tourism product for serious birders who make up a sizeable part of our high-spending segment,” added Durano.

The country’s participation in the recent Birdfair has likewise shored up gains for the country, said Undersecretary Eduardo Jarque, Jr., Tourism Planning and Promotions.

“UK’s biggest bird tour operators have included us in their packages and some well-known birders are expected to arrive in the country in several batches,” Jarque said.

Rockjumper Birding Tours, Ornitholidays, Birdseekers, Nature Trek, and Birdquest are just some of the major tour operators which have added the Philippines in their program and brochures as one of the world’s premier birdwatching sites.

The country was well-represented in the Birdfair, with noted speakers Dennis Salvador, Nicky Icarangal, Jr., and Lisa Marie Pagnutalan giving a forum on subjects which include, Status and Conservation of the Great Philippine Eagle, Birdwatching in the Philippines, and Conserving Core Habitats in Cebu, respectively.

Stanie Soriano, Corporate Relations Manager of Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation, further shared that the country also won second place for the Best Stand Awards, having the most popular booth in the venue. “We gave out a comprehensive Birdwatching kit with books, CDs, and flyers on the tourism product. Our local Banda Kawayan also created a very festive atmosphere in the booth, delighting guests with our local music,” shared Soriano.

Jenny Franco of Travelvision also urged the public and private sector to work together in ensuring a clean and protected environment in the province to sustain a regular influx of tourists.

Franco, also chairman of the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies—Cebu chapter, said she will join the Philippine delegation in promoting the country’s diving shops and spots in the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (Dema) Show 2009.

The international trade-only event for diving, action water sports and adventure industries will be held in Orlando, Florida on Nov. 4 to 7.

”This will really be a good opportunity for the Philippines to increase its tourist arrivals and to promote the country as a diving destination,” Franco said.

She said she will be the only tour operator from Cebu in the event and that this is her first time to join the Philippine delegation to the upcoming dive show.

Kasai Village Beach Resort, a dive resort in Moalboal, Cebu, is another Cebu-based delegate.

Travelvision, where Franco sits as president and managing director, began offering dive packages around 1999. Established in 1991, the tour company promotes Cebu’s diving destinations, culture and heritage sites, and sports tourism activities.

”Many tourists come to Cebu from January to May when it is the cold season in their countries and stay in our beaches. The peak season for diving in Cebu is still during summer,” Franco said.

She identified the US and Europe as among the top tourist markets for Cebu’s diving destinations such as Moalboal and Malapascua.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has participated in international dive shows, including the Bay Area Dive Show and the Tacoma Dive and Travel Expo, both held last April in the US, and the Scuba Dive Show 2009, also in the US, last May.

Tourism Secretary Ace Durano earlier identified North America as a huge potential market for diving.

The South Koreans made up 27.83 percent of Cebu’s tourist market, followed by the Japanese at 21.38 percent and the Americans at 9.90 percent.

However, the size of each tourist market has decreased compared to figures in the same period in 2008.

The Koreans who came to Cebu decreased by 13.37 percent from 103,139 during the first semester last year to only 89,346 during the same period this year.

The number of Japanese tourists, on the other hand, declined by 6.77 percent or from 73,642 Japanese visitors in the first six months of 2008 to 68,655 Japanese visitors in the same period this year.

The US tourist market posted a decline of 14.09 percent, as it recorded only 31,800 visitors from January to June this year from the 37,014 visitors within the same period last year.

The other countries in Cebu’s top 10 tourist markets that are experiencing a decline in visitors arrivals for the same period include Taiwan, Australia, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Tourism Undersecretary Phineas Alburo attributed the decline to the global financial crisis and the influenza A(H1N1) virus pandemic, which have affected the tourism industry.

He expressed his opinion that arrivals from these travel markets will again pick up within November to December, in time for the holidays.

Despite the decline in some markets, Cebu registered a growth in other tourist markets, including China – 85.45 percent. Hong Kong – 12.84 percent, Russia – 52.86 percent, Vietnam, – 91.78 percent, India – 38.06 percent and Denmark – 23.66 percent, among others.

Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries collectively posted a 297.60 percent growth or from 2,004 visitors in the first half of 2008 to 7,068 visitors in the same period this year.

Hong Kong tourists Kayaking in El Nido

Ace Durano, Secretary of Tourism further attributed the increase in arrivals to three travel considerations of the Chinese market which include cost, Chinese-friendly culture and quick and affordable facilitation of visa processing. “We are strong on all three factors. We have value-for-money destination packages, pervasive Chinese influences, and visa-upon-arrival for tourists,” Durano stressed.

Nine direct chartered flights from Shanghai to Cebu also served to accommodate the huge inbound traffic of Chinese arrivals.

In addition to the growing number of Chinese visiting Cebu, the volume of Russian tourists also expanded by 133% and Indian arrivals by 108%. “Russian visitors come over during their winter period to stay at an average of 12 to 15 days in our islands, to soak up the sun, shop and try out our adventure tours,” added Durano.

Hong Kong tourists receive treeplanting certificates in Bohol

Indian tourists on the other hand find Cebu an ideal destination for both holiday and corporate incentive trips. “The holidaymakers from India stay for an average of 20 days, spending currency on shopping, entertainment, and sightseeing,” Durano said.

With the substantial growth in visitor arrivals from China, Hong Kong, Russia and India, the number of tourists directly arriving at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport in January 2009 grew by 5% to 36,653.

China has a fast-growing economy, with an annual average of 40 million outbound tourists each spending an average of $3,000 per trip, according to independent surveys on China’s tourism industry.

Opening in the first half of 2009, the Radisson Hotel Cebu will be the first Radisson Hotels & Resorts property in the Philippines. This will be followed by the opening of The Regent Manila Bay and Radisson Hotel Manila Bay in 2010. All three hotels are owned by SM Investments Corporation and will be managed by CHW-AP.

Radisson is CHW-AP’s upscale, full service hotel brand, and there are currently 25 Radisson hotels and resorts in service across the Asia Pacific region and 34 new properties under development.

“This agreement is part of Carlson’s overall development plan to expand its presence in select locations through strategic partnerships, where there is an opportunity for multiple hotels within a specific country,” said Martin Rinck, President and Managing Director, Carlson Hotels Worldwide – Asia Pacific. “Cebu is one of the world’s top island resort destinations and coupled with its commercial hub, good infrastructure and easy accessibility, it is the right fit for our Radisson brand.”

Radisson Hotel Cebu will be located on the cross-road of Sergio Osmena Boulevard and San Jose de Montana Boulevard in the city more popularly known as the “Queen City of the South” for its rich cultural and historical heritage. Located only two kilometres from the Central Business District and New City Centre, the hotel is also in close proximity to Cebu seaport, one of the country’s busiest ports, and less than 20 kilometres from the airport.

The hotel facilities will include 10 meeting rooms, a 1000 square metre ballroom, a spa and fitness centre, a lobby lounge and an all day dining restaurant.