Gov't investing P29B in WV, Durano says
ILOILO CITY - The government is investing P29 billion in infrastructure projects in Western Visayas to boost the central Philippines as a prime tourist destination.
Tourism Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano said during a tourism assembly forum here that the projects including international airports, improvement of road networks and upgrading of transmission lines, will consolidate the position of the region in the international tourism market.
The projects include the international airport in Iloilo worth P8.759 billion which is 80 percent completed and scheduled to be finished in March next year.
BY NESTOR BURGOS JR
ILOILO CITY - The government is investing P29 billion in infrastructure projects in Western Visayas to boost the central Philippines as a prime tourist destination.
Tourism Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano said during a tourism assembly forum here that the projects including international airports, improvement of road networks and upgrading of transmission lines, will consolidate the position of the region in the international tourism market.
The projects include the international airport in Iloilo worth P8.759 billion which is 80 percent completed and scheduled to be finished in March next year.
The P5.751-billion international airport in Silay City in Negros Occidental is also 80 percent completed and will operate in July 2007. The airport in the capital town of Kalibo in Aklan will also be upgraded and will be completed in April 2008.
The bulk of the funds will be used to build or improve networks in the provinces of Iloilo, Guimaras, Antique, Aklan, Capiz and Negros Occidental which would cost P18.086 billion. The other allotments are on airports (P9.253 B), energy (P1.695B) and seaports (P.080 B).
Durano said the Central Philippines has a strong potential to draw in more tourists because of its rich natural resources and culture.
He said seven of the ten most visited beaches in the country are in the region including the beaches of Boracay, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Bicol, Samar, Palawan and Romblon.
Visitors to Central Philippines reached 4.23 million last year or 28 percent of total regional travelers. Western Visayas had the most number of visitors with 1,599,670 followed by Central Visayas with 1,460,739, said Durano,
More than half or 58 percent foreign tourists visited the Central Philippines with Japan, Korea, Germany and United Kingdom accounting more than half of the number of visitors. These tourists poured around P 82 billion to the region.
Koreans topped the foreign visitors reaching 22,271 or 82.2 percent followed by Japanese tourists at 141,160 (70.74 percent) and from the United States with 88,080 (47.31 percent).
Durano said the Central Philippines has a strong potential to draw in more tourists because of its rich natural resources and culture.
He said seven of the ten most visited beaches in the country are in the region including the beaches of Boracay, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Bicol, Samar, Palawan and Romblon.
Visitors to Central Philippines reached 4.23 million last year or 28 percent of total regional travelers. Western Visayas had the most number of visitors with 1,599,670 followed by Central Visayas with 1,460,739, said Durano,
More than half or 58 percent foreign tourists visited the Central Philippines with Japan, Korea, Germany and United Kingdom accounting more than half of the number of visitors. These tourists poured around P 82 billion to the region.
Koreans topped the foreign visitors reaching 22,271 or 82.2 percent followed by Japanese tourists at 141,160 (70.74 percent) and from the United States with 88,080 (47.31 percent).
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