San Antonio, Zambales — Central Luzon tourism officers gathered in Zambales to discuss regional integration and sustainable development as new figures show the region ranking third nationwide in domestic visitor volume.

Speaking at the 2026 Association of Tourism Officers of Central Luzon convention, Regional Development Council chair and Zambales Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. called on the region’s seven provinces to harmonize their growth strategies.

“When Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and Aurora work in harmony, Central Luzon becomes an unstoppable collective destination,” Ebdane said.

Central Luzon placed behind the Bicol Region and Central Visayas in domestic arrivals, recording 44.2 million local travelers. Earlier tracking cycles showed steady quarterly recovery driven by key tourism hubs in Pampanga, Zambales, and Bataan.

Ebdane outlined a three-pronged approach focusing on integrated development, technology adoption, and heritage preservation to address both global and local challenges facing the sector.

He noted that global disruptions, including geopolitical instability, fluctuating energy prices, and climate change impacts, directly affect operational costs and visitor numbers. Domestically, urban pressures such as traffic congestion, waste management bottlenecks, and environmental degradation pose ongoing threats to regional growth.

“Municipalities cannot operate as isolated silos,” Ebdane said. “Our local tourism plans must seamlessly integrate into provincial and regional development agendas.”