Davao de Oro’s tourism sites are ready for reopening after more than two years of hiatus brought by the pandemic, the Provincial Information Office (PIO) said Tuesday.

Davao de Oro PIO data showed that before the declaration of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the province recorded a total of 3,224,361 tourist arrivals.

The figures dropped to 1,346,621 in 2020, and continued to decrease in 2021 with only 1,164,618 tourist arrivals recorded.

However, from January to June this year, the province recorded 891,136 tourist and visitor arrivals, indicating that the province’s tourism industry has recovered.

Christine Dompor, Davao de Oro senior tourism officer, said they recently visited 10 tourism destinations in the province and did site inspections to assess and measure possible interventions from the provincial government.

The visited tourism sites included the Bilawa Hot Waterfalls, Pagkokorowan Gaw Bukanan, and the Lake Leonard (Danao) Aqua Eco Park, all in Maco town.

In Maragusan town, the tourism team also inspected the Tambo Viewdeck Cafe, Tagbibinta Falls, Maragusan Eco Solid Waste Management Park, Pyalitan Falls, Mt. Patong Sea of Clouds, Angel Farm and Flower Garden, and the De Oro Suites.

“These tourism destinations not only popularized Davao de Oro in the market, but it also served as a gateway for more job opportunities for the locals,” Dompor said.

Dompor said ongoing repairs and enhancement of tourism sites have generated additional revenues, and led to the establishment of cooperatives consisting of farmers, fisherfolk, mountain and boat guides, and caterers.

She said the tourism office and the Provincial Health Office are holding Covid-19 vaccination drives in various tourism facilities to secure their operations against the threat of the virus. (PNA)