The Palarong Pambansa 2024 to be held here July 6 to 17 will be a springboard to foster cooperation needed to promote sports tourism among the tri-cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu, the local chief executive here said on Tuesday.

In interview, Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said the gathering of the best grade school and secondary student athletes nationwide presents a good opportunity to bolster the tourism industry.

“Among the most important agreement that we have is the sports tourism. When you have 20,000 athletes, school officials, and their families combined will come to Cebu City, can you imagine the potential of tourism that it will bring not only to Cebu City but to the entire province,” Garcia said.

The province boasts of white sand beaches in Lapu-Lapu City, Bantayan Island, and Camotes Island, as well as the adventures in the whale-watching capital of Oslob town.

Garcia said the city is currently in talks with city mayors Junard Chan of Lapu-Lapu and Jonas Cortes of Mandaue, as well as the other local government units’ (LGUs) officials, who want to join the sports tourism program in relation to the Palaro.

Among the events in the Palaro are archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball (5×5 and 3×3), billiards, boxing, chess, dancesports, football, futsal, gymnastics, pencak silat, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, lawn tennis, volleyball, wrestling and wushu. (PNA)