After a yearlong hiatus, now is the time to make Cebu your first getaway destination. You can experience the many more firsts in the beautiful island of Cebu through the “I Love Cebu Travel Fair” that’s ongoing until April 21.
Some 40 hotels and resorts in Cebu City, Mactan Island and other Cebu towns, as well as 18 travel agencies and Foodparks by Raintree (the first food service company specializing in the development and operations of retail centers, themed food courts and unique institutional food service facilities), have signed up for this travel industry-wide virtual sale which will highlight exceptional deals, promos and packages. The virtual trading will treat free and independent travelers (FIT) to up to 50-percent discount on their products and services.
The event also highlights how these hotels, resorts and travel agencies have gone digital, embracing the online platform to sell their products and services. The “I Love Cebu Travel Fair” was launched by inviting the media to a virtual meeting held last March 16. For reservations and bookings, visit http://traveloco.ph/ilovecebu.
The long and narrow island of Cebu, one of the most sought-after destinations in the Philippines, is a marvelous place of refuge and rest, as well as an exquisite place to experience many thrills. Here, mountains and seas converge, and tranquil coastal areas and a booming metropolis coexist in harmony. Cebu is well known for its sandy beaches, diving sites, friendly locals, and of course, it’s amazing food.
Looking back on the period of the historical birth of Christianity that has sprawled all over the country and comparing it to today’s era of developments, time has proven again and again that Cebu is a locus of endless growth. Cebu City, hailed as the “Queen City of the South” and perhaps the oldest city in the Philippines, has proved itself to be aging gracefully. It is home to a number of historical sites (Fort San Pedro, Magellan’s Cross) and ancestral houses (Yap San Diego Ancestral House, Casa Gorordo Museum).
Across, on Mactan Island, is Lapu-Lapu City, the breezy and laid-back side of Metro Cebu and home to the beautifully structured Mactan International Airport, the second busiest airport in the country (direct flights to Cebu are available in some countries) and a gateway to the island, plus a strip of resorts, ranging from mid to highly acclaimed ones, but all offering their very own savoir-faire.
A little over an hour’s drive down south is the wonderful town of Oslob, where you can get the exhilarating thrill of flying by paragliding or swimming with gentle but majestic giants called whale sharks, definitely an experience of a lifetime. Up north are the beautiful white-sand beaches of Camotes Island, Malapascua Island, and Bantayan Island, and many more. The awe-inspiring diving spots of Moalboal and Mactan Island are also the pride of Cebu.
If it is heights that excite you, numerous mountains are favorite spots for trekking within Cebu, perfect for beginners and even for more experienced trekkers. The Osmeña Peak in Dalaguete, Cebu’s highest peak, is only a three-hour drive from the city.
The hotels and resorts participating in the “I Love Cebu Travel Fair” are Alpa City Suites, Amethyst Boutique Hotel Cebu, Bai Hotel Cebu, Bayfront Hotel Cebu, BE Resort Mactan, Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort, Bluewater Sumilon, Cebu Grand Hotel, Cebu Hotel Plus, Cebu Parklane International Hotel, Citadines Cebu City, Citi Park Hotel, Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan, Diamond and Club Serena, Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu, Golden Prince Hotel, Hotel Elizabeth Cebu, JPark Island Resort & Waterpark Mactan, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, Mezzo Hotel, One Central Hotel & Suites, OYO 449 Sunrise 888 Oslob, OYO 455 Casa Bonita Inn Oslob, OYO 592 La Briana Guest House Sta Fe, OYO 638 Randy’s Bantayan, OYO 659 Myrna’s Pension Sta Fe, OYO 674 Seaforest Resort, Moalboal, Pacific Cebu Resort, Quest Hotel & Conference Center Cebu, Radisson Blu Cebu, Sarrosa Int’l Hotel, Savoy Hotel Mactan, Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa, Solea Hotels and Resorts, Waterfront Airport Hotel & Casino, and Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
The participating Cebu-based travel agencies are Destination Specialists Cebu Inc., Divaishnavi Int’l Inc., Experience More Travel Specialists Inc., First United Travel Inc., Funtastic Travel & Tours Inc., Global Link Travel and Tours, Golden JC Holiday Travel, Grand Hope Travel Inc., Green Earth Tours and Travel Inc., iTRAVEL iEXPLORE Tours & Services, PTN Travel Corp., Southwind Travel & Tours, Travel with Southwind Inc., Sun Travel & Tours Corp., Travelite Travel and Tours Co., and Wander Lanes Travel Co. Inc.
Image credits: Benjamin Layug, Paul Gotiong , Kimberly Mendero
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