The Department of Tourism (DOT) is positioning Eastern Visayas as an emerging, competitive tourism investment destination through a series of tourism investment training sessions.

DOT Eastern Visayas Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said on Monday that the first training on tourism investment fundamentals, policies, and market directions was held in this city from Feb. 25 to 26, 2026.

The two-day capacity-building initiative gathered 52 tourism and investment officers from 27 local government units across the region.

“The workshop provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals of tourism investment, the investor mindset, national tourism and investment policies, and prevailing market trends relevant to Eastern Visayas,” Tiopes said.

Participants were introduced to practical tools for evaluating and developing bankable tourism projects, including the business model canvas, cost-benefit analysis, financial ratio analysis, and risk management and business continuity planning.

According to DOT, these frameworks aim to equip local governments with stronger technical capacity to assess project viability, prioritize opportunities, and strategically align local tourism assets with investor expectations.

The training series will continue with a second workshop on identifying and developing tourism investment opportunities in Eastern Visayas from March 12 to 13.

The second workshop will assess investment readiness, conduct asset mapping, prioritize opportunities, and refine tourism projects for investment packaging.

“Through this training series, the DOT in Eastern Visayas is advancing the development of sustainable and market-driven tourism investments,” the agency said.

The training sessions help local governments strategically position their tourism assets, assess investment viability, and transform local opportunities into market-ready projects –strengthening Eastern Visayas’ competitiveness as a tourism investment destination. (PNA)