ILOILO CITY — French luxury expedition cruise operator Compagnie du Ponant is exploring Iloilo City and the island province of Guimaras as potential ports of call for its Asian cruise itineraries, a move that could further strengthen Western Visayas’ position in the international cruise tourism market.

Representatives from the company’s shore excursion and port operations recently conducted an inspection of key tourism sites and port facilities in Iloilo and Guimaras to assess their readiness to accommodate luxury expedition cruise vessels.

The validation visit, facilitated by the Department of Tourism (DoT)-Western Visayas, enabled the delegation to evaluate the region’s port infrastructure, tourism attractions, shore excursion offerings, and overall visitor experience for international cruise passengers.

The inspection team also included representatives from Travel People, Wallem Philippines Shipping Inc. and Wilhelmsen-Smith Bell. Their assessment will help determine whether Iloilo City and Guimaras will be included in Compagnie du Ponant’s future Asian cruise itineraries.

According to the DoT-Western Visayas, attracting international cruise ships would create significant economic opportunities for local communities by increasing demand for transportation services, tour operators, accommodations, restaurants, souvenir shops, and locally produced goods.

“Every cruise call creates business opportunities for transport providers, tour guides, restaurants, accommodation establishments, souvenir shops, farmers, fisherfolk and other local enterprises,” the agency said.

Beyond its economic impact, the DoT said cruise tourism provides an opportunity to showcase Western Visayas’ rich cultural heritage, diverse cuisine and natural attractions to high-value international travelers.

The initiative forms part of the region’s broader strategy to position Western Visayas as a premier cruise destination and attract more luxury and expedition cruise operators, including Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.