Caraga Region logs 1.6 million tourist arrivals in 2024

BUTUAN CITY (MindaNews / 07 March) – At least 1.6 million tourists visited the Caraga Region in 2024, according to officials from the Department of Tourism (DOT) regional office.

Tourists walk along the boardwalk of Cloud 9 surfing area in General Luna, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte. MindaNews file photo by IVY MARIE MANGADLAO

The figures were presented as part of their 2024 accomplishment report during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum hosted by the Philippine Information Agency on Tuesday, March 4.

DOT Caraga Regional Director Ivonnie Dumadag stated that the region recorded 1,667,504 arrivals in 2024, comprising 1,550,064 domestic tourists and 117,440 foreign visitors.

Dumadag noted that the influx of tourists contributed approximately ₱20 billion in tourism receipts, highlighting the sector’s strong economic impact.

“The domestic market continues to be the primary driver of Caraga’s tourism growth. The presence of local events such as MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), festivals, celebrations, and religious gatherings, along with holidays and long weekends encouraging more domestic travel, were among the major contributing factors to this figure,” she explained.

Data further showed that tourist arrivals increased from 725,266 in 2022 to 1,460,199 in 2023, reflecting a growth rate of 101.33 percent.

“This significant growth rate indicates that arrivals more than doubled, largely due to post-pandemic recovery, which lifted travel restrictions and reopened borders,” Dumadag said.

In 2024, although the number of arrivals rose to 1,667,504, the growth rate slowed to 14.20 percent compared to 2023.

Passengers board a commercial aircraft at Bancasi Airport in Butuan City. Caraga has three other airports, in Surigao City, Siargao Island, and Tandag City. MindaNews file photo by IVY MARIE MANGADLAO

“This suggests that while the number of arrivals is still rising, the rate of increase is stabilizing. This could indicate that Caraga’s tourism sector is gradually returning to its normal growth trajectory,” she added.

According to DOT-Caraga, the top five foreign tourism markets in 2024 included visitors from the USA, Spain, Germany, France, and the UK.

Dumadag highlighted that the region’s current tourism offerings featuring sun and beach attractions, culture and heritage, food and gastronomy, and ecotourism align well with the preferences of these markets.

One of the milestones that the agency presented was the opening of its Siargao Satellite Office, located in the heart of General Luna, Siargao Island, just across Cloud 9, Caraga’s internationally renowned tourism destination.

“We aim to provide assistance and support for tourism-related activities through our Siargao Satellite Office. This will also serve as a venue for close collaboration with local stakeholders on the island to enhance the overall tourism experience, boost the local economy, and promote sustainable tourism practices,” Dumadag said.

Beyond Siargao

While Siargao and its waves remain internationally renowned, Dumadag emphasized that Caraga’s tourism offers much more, which is embodied in their campaign, “Caraga Beyond Its Waves.”

“So beyond its waves, we’re now highlighting notable practices of our partner LGUs (local government units), our five provinces, and six cities, so they can also be recognized,” she said.

The report cited Butuan City’s strength as a MICE center in the region.

“Last year, they recorded 118,383 arrivals for MICE delegates alone, a significant increase from over 99,000 arrivals in the previous year. Butuan City is very strong since we have our airport,” she noted.

Dumadag also mentioned the opening of a sea route connecting Dinagat Island and Siargao in 2024.

“This was successfully launched in April, but it had to temporarily stop. However, it is set to resume in March or April. This route enables tourists in Siargao to visit Dinagat Island, which is just an hour away. In effect, we are also promoting the lesser-known destinations of Dinagat,” she said.

DOT-Caraga reported that Surigao City and Surigao del Norte are seeing promising growth in yachting, with 34 private yachts visiting in 2024, some using Surigao City as an exit point.

It also announced that the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary is being considered for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Tentative List.

“The LGU of Agusan del Sur is currently preparing its dossier for submission to UNESCO. Hopefully, we will soon have our very first UNESCO site in the Caraga region with Agusan Marsh,” Dumadag said. (Ivy Marie Mangadlao/MindaNews)