The hosting of the upcoming 27th Siargao International Surfing Cup will bring full recovery of the tourism industry on Siargao Island, the Department of Tourism in the Caraga Region (DOT-13) said Friday.

“Looking back to its modest beginnings in 1992, the annual Siargao International Surfing Cup has proven to be a game changer in the tourism industry, not only in the province of Surigao del Norte but in the entire country as well,” DOT-13 Director Ivonnie Dumadag said in a statement.

Also on Friday, the DOT-13 announced the start of registration for the upcoming sports event that will be held at the Cloud 9 Surfing Spot in General Luna town, Surigao del Norte, from Oct. 25 to Nov. 1.

The event, categorized as Qualifying Series 3000, is sanctioned by the World Surf League.

Siargao’s annual surfing cup is considered the longest-running international sports tourism event in the country that has brought the island to the global tourism map.

The event, however, was stalled in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and the onslaught of typhoon Odette.

Last year, the 26th international surfing tourney staged from Oct. 15 to 21 was preceded by the national surfing cup sponsored by the local government of General Luna town.

The international event this year is organized by the Office of Surigao del Norte 1st District Rep. Francisco Jose Matugas II and the General Luna town government, with the support of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Presidential son Vincent Marcos and the Tingog Party-list.

Most of the hotels, resorts, restaurants and other tourism-related establishments (TREs) in General Luna town are fully operational over a year after the “Odette” typhoon, just in time for the upcoming international surfing event.

In her State of the Municipality Address last month, Mayor Matugas bared the town now has 60 hotels and inns, 45 resorts, 39 villas and 150 homestays fully operating, along with 200 other TREs.

From June 2022 to June 2023, around 856 new businesses were also registered in the municipality consisting of motorcycle parts and accessories, hardware, construction services, coffee shops, spas, pharmacies, travel and tours, medical clinics, convenience stores, among others.

Matugas said TREs and other businesses brought increased income by way of tax, remittances, and fees for the town amounting to PHP81.4 million from July to December 2022 and PHP100.2 million from January to June 2023. (PNA)