Tourism and agriculture remain Aklan's core thrusts for 2011

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan - The provincial government is poised to sustain its programs for the local tourism industry and agriculture development in 2011.

Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez said the province will further enhance the twin engines of growth to entice more tourists, both domestic and foreign, and investors and to increase farm production in the barangays.

Aklan is rich in eco-tourism attractions and must-see places aside from the world famous Boracay Island. The tourism potentials of the natural attractions, the governor said, should be fully develop with the support of the provincial government to bring in more tourists.

By year-end, tourist arrivals target in Boracay Island could reach 750,000 and by year 2012, the provincial government hopes to attract one million tourists. The number of tourists from January to November already reached 712,000 owing to the sharp increase of Asian visitors travelling via Kalibo International Airport from regional cities.

Marquez, in a radio interview, also bared that he will also sustain the programs on infrastructures, support and assistance to health services, livelihood and entrepreneurship projects, environmental protection, scholarship grants to children of poor families and upgrading of jetty port facilities.

Tourism programs, he said, could create more jobs for his constituents and generate investments for the province. He also cited the reclamation of coastal areas in Barangay Caticlan, one of the flagship tourism projects of his administration, to build world-class jett port facilities for inbound travelers of Boracay.

Over the past few years, Aklan has benefited from the mega projects funded by the national government to develop its bridges and roads for farmers and airport facilities for tourists.
Meanwhile, the P976 million provincial budget by 2011, which was approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan, is expected to sign by Marquez in the first week of January next year.