Kalibo tricycle tour guides tapped to promote tourist spots

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Getting to tourist attractions in Kalibo, try the tricycle tour experience with trained tour guides.

                                                          PHOTO AKLAN FORUM JOURNAL

Tricycle is a common means of transport in getting around the town of Kalibo. For a quick tour, the tour guides will take the traveler to Kalibo Tigayon Hill, Museo it Akean, Kalibo Eco-Bakhawan Park, Kalibo Cathedral and pasalubong shops for affordable tour packages.

On February 24, the Kalibo mayor William Lachica and Vice Mayor Madeline Regalado turned over the starter kits and the standard tour guide vests to 100 tricycle drivers-tour guides at Kalibo Pastrana Park.

The three-wheeled vehicles are also marked with “Vibrant Kalibo” stickers for easy identification of tourists who want to avail the services of tour guides/tricycle drivers.

The certified tour guides are members of Kalibo Tricycle Drivers and Guides Association (Katridga) headed by Bernie Almero.

Majority of these tricycle drivers are serving the tourists coming from Kalibo International Airport. Other tricycle drivers can also get their guests through Kalibo Tourism and Cultural Affairs Division (TCAD) and accommodation establishments in Kalibo, according to Kalibo tourism officer Rhea Meren-Ibesate.

Kalibo has an estimated number of 3,000 registered tricycle drivers.

Last December 5 to 9, TCAD conducted a skills training on tour guiding funded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under its sustainable livelihood program (SLP).

The tricycle drivers were also oriented on tour guiding techniques, tourism trends, communication skills and customer relations as part of their training. The SLP provides the tour guides-trained tricycle drivers the capability to earn more income using the authorized and standardized tour packages of TCAD.

The article was originally published by independent online blog Aklan Forum Journal. The unrestricted use in print or radio, publication and distribution of articles are allowed provided the original author and Aklan Forum Journal are credited.