TACLOBAN CITY, March 27 (PNA) – The Department of Tourism (DOT) will launch “Summer Fun” in Eastern Visayas in a bid to restore the region’s image as vacation destination after the destruction wrought by super typhoon Yolanda in 2013.
DOT Regional Director Karina Rosa S. Tiopes said the summer activities provincial launching will start on March 30 and will continue until the third week of April. Joining the familiarization tour are industry stakeholders and media practitioners.
“We want to make a noise that tourism is back in Eastern Visayas after the super typhoon,” Tiopes added.
The tourism department has tied up with the private sector and local government units to identify tourism destinations that are market-ready for summer activities.
“This summer, we are marketing those sites with something to offer. These are tourism products that are ready in terms of booking, fun and adventure activities, and accommodation,” she told reporters.
The month-long summer fun activities will kick off on March 30 to 31 in Southern Leyte, visiting a fish sanctuary in Macrohon town, zoo and shrine in a cave tour in Maasin City, and whale shark watching in Pintuyan town.
On April 8 to 9, tours will be concentrated in the island towns of San Vicente, Capul, San Antonio, Biri and Lavezares in Northern Samar. These areas are endowed with pink and white beaches, lake, dive sites, rock formations, historical sites and mangrove plantation.
The summer fun launch in Biliran is scheduled on April 17 to 18. Activities include a tour to Maripipi Island; diving, snorkeling, and swimming in Sambawan Island; and cold spring swimming in Kawayan town.
In Samar province, the launching will be on April 19 to 21, highlighting boat ride, white water rafting, and bird watching in Paranas town; tour to San Juanico Bridge; exploring the Sohoton Cave in Basey town; and visit to rock islets in Marabut town.
Simultaneously, summer fun will kick off in Leyte on April 20 to 22 through a historical and Pope Francis memorabilia tour in Palo town; food tour in Carigara town; kayak fest and sea adventure in Kalanggaman Island, Palompon town; pineapple plantation tour in Kananga town; kayaking in Lake Danao Natural Park in Ormoc City; and tour to different historical and reconstruction sites in Tacloban City.
On April 22 to 23, the town of Taft in Eastern Samar will unveil various tourism activities such as skim boarding, beach sports, World War II Japanese Army fox holes tour, old barrio church visit, beach party and adventure tours.
Tiopes hopes to attain five percent to 10 percent growth in the number of summer tourists compared to last year. In 2014, the region has welcomed 865,063 visitors or an 18 percent rise from 731,039 tourists in 2013. (PNA)