The visit of a cruise ship in less-traveled tourist destinations like Eastern Visayas will help raise awareness among tourists, the Department of Tourism (DOT) regional office here said.
DOT Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said in an interview on Wednesday that most destinations in the country visited by Coral Geographer, an Australian-based cruise ship, are in Eastern Visayas.
“It’s heartwarming that most of the destinations they visited are here in the region. These areas are occasionally visited hence, the community has lesser interaction with tourists,” Tiopes added.
Aside from traditional cruise destinations in the region, two additional sites have been included in the list of areas for the cruise port call of Coral Geographer that visited the region from Oct. 30 to Nov. 4, carrying 40 passengers.
These additional sites are Higatangan Island in Naval, Biliran province, and La Laguna Mangrove Eco Park in Lavezares, Northern Samar.
“The cruise ship arrival in these two areas is the key for the increase of tourism arrival,” Tiopes said.
La Laguna Mangrove Eco Park is a 300-hectare sanctuary not only of marine species but also of wild monkeys, fruit bats, and various bird species. The sanctuary is managed and operated by a people’s organization whose members are all residents of San Isidro village.
The sanctuary has a boardwalk that passes through mangroves connected to a nearby hill. At the summit, there is an observation deck that offers tourists a perfect view of the entire mangrove forest and its neighboring island.
Higatangan, on the other hand, is an island that houses two villages of Naval. It is known for its shifting sandbar and the annual Island Festival held every summer. The island also offers various attractions like cliff jumping, snorkeling areas, and diving spots, aside from its beach area.
During the visit of cruise guests in these two sites, their itinerary included immersion with the community, talking with the locals and knowing their lives, particularly focusing on their livelihoods such as fishing and weaving.
The cruise ship also made stops in Biri Island in Northern Samar, Cuatro Islas in Leyte, Maripipi Island in Biliran, and Sambawan Island also in Biliran.
Choosing Higatangan Island as one of the cruise stops is an honor to Naval town, according to Mayor Gretchen Espina, who led island residents in welcoming the guest during their arrival on Oct. 31.
“This is big help because we are not just breaking the Region 8 barrier; this is all over the world, and that is our target. We deserve to be known for what we can offer to tourists,” Espina said.
Maripipi Mayor Joseph Caingcoy said the cruise stop will challenge local entrepreneurs, particularly artisans on their island, to improve their craft as their products are their main selling point on shore excursions.
“If more tourists will come and investors are also coming, this means more development in our town, more job opportunities, and of course additional livelihood and income for the people,” he added.
Aside from emerging with the community of weavers and pottery makers, the guests also visited Sambawan Island, one of Maripipi’s marine sanctuary that has a crescent-shaped beach and is an ideal place for snorkeling and scuba diving. (PNA)
