DOT to Include Biking Tours, Other Outdoor Activities to Boost Ilocos Tourism
The Department of Tourism (DOT) announced that they’re including bicycle tours, motorbiking, and other outdoor activities as part of their recovery plan to boost local tourism in the Ilocos region.
DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said tourists are now looking to incorporate outdoor activities like hiking and biking in their leisure travel, citing a shift in local tourism preferences.
In response, the department says it’s aiming to develop new biking and motorbiking trails in Region 1 such as the Find the One Bike Tour and Motorismo, with trails coursing through the provinces of Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur.
“Region 1 holds so much potential to appeal to tourists under the new normal, given its abundance in nature sites. That is why we are very excited to launch the tourism recovery plan that will introduce new and exciting activities that will provide additional opportunities for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region. I encourage our kababayans to please travel and support locals while observing the necessary health and safety protocols,” Puyat said.
The department’s regional office has accredited 61 Level 1 Surf Instructors through the Academy of Surf Instructors Philippines (ASI) which will uplift the standards of surfing lessons in the region’s popular surf spots.
Other DOT tourism recovery plans in Region 1 include the Marian Pilgrimage Tour; specialized training for Inabel textile weavers in Ilocos Sur; the Eastern, Western, and Central Pangasinan Tourism Circuit; Bird Watching Tourism Circuit in Ilocos Norte; and the development of eco trails in La Union.
Puyat also highlighted the Tara Na! app, a travel request, and a contact tracing system funded by the Tourism Promotions Board.
SCREENSHOT from the App Store
She said this is a collaborative effort between the LGUs and the DOT to unify the region’s border controls and to serve as a green lane for tourists coming into the region.
She also unveiled plans to restore and transform the historical Casa Real in Pangasinan — into the province’s first museum that will enable both locals and tourists to appreciate its rich history.
To fund its restoration, Puyat said the DOT, through the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, an attached agency of the DOT, has provided Php 50 million for the project.
Source: Philippine News Agency
