The city government, the private sector and national government agencies have joined hands to improve and rehabilitate tourist destinations and attractions while creating more events to encourage tourists to visit the city.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong said in a media interview on Wednesday, “We continue to improve our parks so that we can offer additional attractions. We also have events to entice visitors to come.”

Magalong said efforts are being exerted especially at a time when tourist arrivals remain low, as the fuel crisis stemming from the Middle East war continues to be felt.

“Tourist arrivals have been picking up for almost two weeks now, but the numbers are still low. If we previously experienced a decline of as much as 50 percent, I would say we are still down by around 35 to 40 percent,” he said.

Among the ongoing projects is the rehabilitation of several parks. Sunshine Park reopened to the public on Tuesday after months of closure. Burnham Lake is also expected to offer more tourist-friendly amenities after its rehabilitation, which began in the last quarter of 2025, is completed.

“Before the war in Iran, you could already feel the increase in visitors by Friday because traffic would immediately build up in the city,” Magalong said.

The city government monitors tourist activity through a color-coded traffic system: green for smooth flow, orange for moderate congestion, and red for heavy traffic typically associated with high tourist arrivals.

“Before, when tourist arrivals were high, red indicators would dominate our traffic reports. Now, red rarely appears, and if it does, it only lasts for a few hours,” the mayor said.

Magalong said green and orange indicators remain dominant, suggesting that road conditions are still manageable and visitor volume remains below normal levels.

The continued decline in tourist arrivals is having a considerable impact on Baguio’s economy, particularly on tourism-dependent businesses.

Magalong said discussions with accommodation facilities and the Tourism Council revealed that many hotels and lodging establishments continue to experience very low weekday occupancy rates, with some reporting zero occupancy.

Tourist activity improves only during weekends, he added.

Magalong repeatedly invited tourists to visit Baguio, noting it is perfect when traffic congestion is not an issue. (PNA)