ROXAS CITY - The tourism program mapped out as early as 2007 by the Capiz provincial government under Gov. Victor A. Tanco has borne fruit with the inclusion of Capiz  in the list of 20 places as “top destinations of domestic travelers irrespective of purpose of travel and travelers whose main purpose of trip was for pleasure or vacation.”  

In a 2010 Household Survey on Domestic Visitors conducted by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the National Statistics Office (NSO), Capiz, for the first time, ranked No. 20 of having visited by domestic travelers (566,000) in 2011. The same ranking was achieved by Capiz as a place visited by domestic travelers whose main purpose of trip was for pleasure or vacation (at 236,000). 

Ruel Doce, officer –in-charge of the Capiz Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office, said the latest achievement is a recognition of the Capiz provincial government’s efforts and initiatives in enlisting in the support and involvement of the community towards the promotion of the tourism program. 

It has boosted the morale and belief of Capizeños towards their tourism industry, said Doce. 

The Capiz provincial government, meanwhile, received a plaque of recognition from the Department of Tourism and Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for “having topped the LGU which participated in DOT-JICA Technical Cooperation Program for the Development of Tourism Statistics System for LGUs implemented from 2009 to 2012.” 

The award was received by Governor Tanco  last Feb. 17 on the occasion of the National Tourism Statistics Conference at the Diamond Hotel in Manila. 

The plaque of recognition was signed by DOT Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez and JICA Representative Takahiro Sasaki. (Publicity and Promotions Committee, CAPIZtahan 2012)