Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong is turning to sports tourism to revitalize the Summer Capital’s tourism sector, which has seen a sharp decline in visitors due to soaring fuel costs linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Speaking at the opening of the 4th Cordillera Golfers Foundation Inc. Golf Tournament which has drawn 400 golfers from across the Cordillera region and neighboring provinces, Magalong identified the city’s high-altitude climate and established facilities as key drivers for economic recovery.
The push comes as the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio reported a 50% drop in occupancy rates. Local officials attribute the “ailing” industry directly to the oil crisis, which has made the drive to the mountain city significantly more expensive for lowland travelers.
“Baguio’s weather remains conducive to playing golf,” Magalong said, noting that the city’s three premier courses—Camp John Hay, Baguio Country Club, and Pinewoods—serve as primary draws for high-spending visitors.
Beyond golf, the city is doubling down on its status as an accredited regional sports center.
Baguio has long been a preferred training ground for national teams in boxing, running, and arnis, who utilize the thin mountain air for high-altitude conditioning.
To expand this appeal, a modern multi-sport facility is currently under development on a 6,000-square-meter lot at Camp John Hay.
Once completed, the center will host a diverse range of indoor sports, including basketball and volleyball, futsal, netball, handball, and floorball courts.
Magalong emphasized that the goal is to shift away from the city’s traditional reliance on peak-season crowds. Instead, the administration aims to build a “year-round, inclusive sports tourism model” that provides a stable cushion for the local economy, regardless of global economic fluctuations. Roderick Osis
Magalong taps sports tourism to counter tourism slump
