Is Tourism Gaining Ground in Lanao del Sur?

My beautiful Marawi City, capital of the number one tourist destination in ARMM--Lanao del Sur. 

In an article published by Bureau of Public Information, it is said that among the five provinces in ARMM, Lanao del Sur is the number one tourist destination. You read that right, NUMERO UNO. In verbatim:

Attracting a total of 69,606 visitors in 2016, the province of Lanao del Sur posted P1.2 billion in tourism receipts during the year and was the no.1 tourist destination among the provinces in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Tamano said one must-see attraction is LakeLanao, the largest inland body of water in Mindanao and the second largest lake in the Philippines. Lake Lanao serves as reservoir for the Agus hydroelectric power plants that generate up to 75% of Mindanao’s power supply.

The arts and crafts of the Maranao tribe, Polo Barakat Mosque in Binidayan, Kilometer Zero, Mindanao State University and Daguduban in Marawi City; Lake Dapao in Pualas; and white water rafting in Wao could easily lure tourists to the province.

“Tourist gross receipts cut across other industries like transport, trade, food, and telecommunications, among others,” Sec. Dilangalen explained. Tourism, she added, can provide direct jobs to the community.

As a local, who have been living in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur for more than two decades, the article is making me ask these questions:

1. Basing on the receipts alone, how are the tourists identified?

2. Are visitors already considered tourists although they are visiting Lanao del Sur for business transactions and other non-touristy activities? 

A quick Google gives this definition of the word tourist:

tour·ist

ˈto͝orəst/

noun

1. 1.

   a person who is traveling or visiting a place for pleasure.

3. Has anyone actually seen many tourists in Lanao del Sur? Where? I want to see them.

4. Let's do the math. If the total tourism receipts is P1.2 billion and the total number of tourists is 69,606, then the average tourist in Lanao del Sur has spent an average of P17,239.89. So if a tourist is traveling for pleasure, where in Lanao del Sur can someone spend a night, eat fancy dinners, and buy souvenirs that will amount to P17,239.89?

5. Where did the receipts come from? As a local, I am not used to receiving receipts in Lanao del Sur. 

6. If indeed, there is money in tourism, can you please tell us what tourism-related business can we invest in? 

7. If we build pension houses, restaurants, and resorts, can you guarantee that tourists will come?

I have talked to Kai Darul and I showed her the article. She said that 63,509 visitors to Tawi-tawi sounds just right. There is an airport in Tawi-Tawi where Cebu Pacific flies twice a day. One can also reach the island province via boat. They have many beautiful beaches and resorts. Grabe, they have all the amenities for tourists pero tinalo natin sila. Amazing. ARMMAZING!

So the last question I have is: 

8. Really?