BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the local economy continues to feel the effects of the decline in visitor numbers due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East that has caused a sudden increase in the price of petroleum products.

According to Magalong, tourism remains lower compared to previous levels, with arrivals on weekdays still particularly weak.

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

He said discussions with accommodation facilities and members of the Tourism Council showed that many hotels and lodging establishments continue to experience very low occupancy rates on weekdays, with some even reporting zero occupancy.

According to Magalong, they continue to monitor tourist activity through traffic indicators that use a color-coded system where green indicates smooth traffic flow or lower congestion, orange shows moderate congestion, while red indicates severe traffic conditions usually associated with high tourist arrivals.

“Previously, when tourist arrivals were high, red indicators dominated our traffic reports. Now, red rarely appears, and if it does, it only lasts for a few hours,” he said.

Magalong pointed out that currently, green and orange indicators remain dominant, suggesting that road conditions are still manageable and visitor numbers remain below normal levels.

He added that the continued decline in tourist arrivals is still having a significant impact on Baguio’s economy.