The top four tourist groups in Negros Oriental for the first half of 2022 are the United States, Korea, Canada, and the United Kingdom, based on a report from the Department of Tourism in Region 7.

A copy of the partial report provided to the Philippine News Agency on Friday by the Provincial Tourism Unit showed that from January to June this year, the volume of tourists from the USA reached 444; Korea, 250; Canada, 121; and the United Kingdom, 115.

Other countries that had a high number of nationals coming to Negros Oriental during the period include Australia, 103; Germany, 99; France, 90; Japan, 79; Switzerland, 70; China, 68; and others, 515, or a total of 1,954.

The volume of tourists rose this year almost four times the number last year at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic recorded at a measly 532 foreigners.

Meanwhile, the municipality of Dauin topped the list of local government units (LGUs) in Negros Oriental with the highest number of foreign tourists (1,352) and domestic travelers (19,807).

This capital city came in second with 523 foreign and 18,266 domestic travelers.

Other LGUs with foreign and/or domestic visitors include Valencia, Canlaon City, Bayawan City, Mabinay, Guihulngan City, La Libertad, Tanjay City, Sta. Catalina, Siaton, Sibulan, Bais City, and Amlan.

The province logged a total of 76,100 foreign/domestic tourists for the first half of the year, the DOT-7 report said. (PNA)